NEW DELHI: “You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise,” wrote American poet Maya Angelou in her timeless work Still I Rise. Doesn’t it look as if Dipa Karmakar, undoubtedly the brightest name in Indian gymnastics, is the protagonist in Angelou’s verses?
From battling countless challenges, limited infrastructure in her home state of Tripura, injuries, and the weight of expectations to scripting history on the global stage, Dipa’s story is only one of its kind. But why compare it to Angelou’s feminist poem?
“In 2011, there was a foreign coach — though I won’t take the name — who said that women couldn’t achieve much because, according to him, women only come to national camps to pass the time, roam around, and eat. That day, I didn’t feel good at all as an athlete. Because no one leaves their family and comes to a camp just to roam and eat,” Dipa recalls during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.
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However, that maligned remark, rather than breaking her spirit, ignited a fire within. Guided by her long-time coach Bishweshwar Nandi, she set her sights on a daring move — the Produnova vault, one of the most difficult and dangerous feats in gymnastics.
“Sir said, ‘Why can’t we do it? We can do it too.’ That’s when we slowly decided to choose the Produnova vault. Before that, I had competed in several World Cups and reached vault finals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games. But I wanted more — I wanted a medal,” Dipa recollects. “Women’s gymnastics in India had no major international medals then. That’s when Sir told me, ‘If you can master this vault…’ And I told him, ‘Sir, whatever you ask me to do, I am ready — just for the sake of bringing a medal for us.’”
From Tripura to vaulting table: Dipa Karmakar’s rise
The journey of a girl from a small town in Tripura to the grand stage of the Olympics was anything but easy.
Unlike athletes from bigger cities with access to world-class facilities, Dipa trained in a place where gymnastics infrastructure was nominal, and support system involving physiotherapists and sports doctors was virtually nonexistent.
Yet, against all odds, she rose.
Her tryst with gymnastics began at the age of five and a half at the Vivekananda Byamagar Club under the guidance of coach Soma Nandi.
It was her father’s vision that led her to the sport. Coming from a family that encouraged athletic pursuits, Dipa and her elder sister, Puja Karmakar, were both introduced to sports. However, while Puja eventually moved on, Dipa found her passion in gymnastics.
Her first taste of victory came in 2002 at the North East Games in Agartala, where she won her first gold medal, marking the beginning of a journey that would only take her to heights no Indian woman gymnast had reached before.
Recognising her potential, Kamal Saha, the then sports secretary of Tripura, advised a shift to a better-equipped sports complex.
This decision influenced a significant turning point in Dipa’s life as her coach also decided it was time for a change, and that’s when she began training under Bishweshwar Nandi, the mentor who would shape her into a world-class gymnast.
At that stage, the Olympics was a distant dream. Unlike today, where young gymnasts aspire to Olympic glory, Dipa’s focus was simple — winning a national gold medal.
“At first, I never dreamt that I would go to the Olympics. Back then, my only goal was to win a gold medal at the national level,” she admits.
At the age of 14, she competed at the 2007 Junior Nationals in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, winning an impressive haul of three golds and two silvers.
This success earned her a spot in the national camp for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Kolkata. And making the most of the opportunity, she reached the vault final at the Commonwealth Games, followed by another final appearance at the Asian Games.
These experiences made her believe that she belonged on the international stage, and from that point, the chase for medals truly began.
Road to mastering Produnova: A leap of faith
Mastering the Produnova vault, one of the most dangerous moves in gymnastics, is not just any athlete’s cup of tea.
An intimate affair with the infamous “vault of death” began step by step, as she slowly built the foundation for what would become her signature move.
If Dipa’s words are to be believed, it took her eight to nine months of rigorous training to perfect, though she attempted it much earlier — within just 3 to 5 months.
When the time came for her first real attempt, even the chief coach hesitated.
“When the chief coach was asked, he said, ‘Not today; we’ll try it tomorrow!’ That made me so angry that I said, ‘If you don’t let me attempt it tomorrow, I’ll come alone and do it myself.’ Hearing that, they got a little scared,” she recalls with a laugh.
The hesitation was justified. The Produnova is one of the riskiest vaults in gymnastics, involving two and a half somersaults. A single miscalculation in timing could lead to devastating, even life-threatening, injuries. But Dipa was undeterred.
“Only five people in the world have performed this vault, and I am the third among them. Naturally, there’s some level of risk involved. But I was so confident that I knew I could do it and that I had to do it.”
In terms of medals, her first major breakthrough came at the 2014 Commonwealth Gymnastics Championships, where she clinched a gold and a silver. However, the wait for a successful Produnova landing went on.
With confidence at an all-time high, she entered the 2014 Commonwealth Games, determined to deliver her best performance.
But fate had other plans.
“On the first day, during the qualifications, I fractured my leg — it was a severe crack. My leg swelled up badly, but somehow, despite the pain, I qualified in 7th position for the finals,” Dipa recalls.
The finals were a make-or-break moment — not just for her, but for Indian women’s gymnastics. A medal could keep the sport alive in the country; failure could mean fading into obscurity for the Indian women’s gymnast team.
With Dipa’s leg in excruciating pain, the doctors strongly advised against competing.
“They told me, ‘Give up, Didi. Dipa, how will you do it? It’s not possible,’” Dipa recounts. “But my teammates motivated me a lot, saying, ‘Didi, you have to do it!’”
Dipa finally decided to go ahead. And for the first time in her career, she successfully landed the Produnova vault, securing her first Commonwealth Games medal.
In the following years, she continued to push boundaries, winning a bronze at the 2015 Asian Championships, finishing 4th at the Asian Games, and securing 5th place at the World Championships. Then came the Rio Olympics qualifier — where she not only booked her ticket to the biggest sporting event in the world but also won gold at the test event.
For Dipa, mastering the Produnova was more than just about proving herself. It was about proving every doubter wrong. It was about showing that an Indian woman gymnast could stand on par with the best in the world.
Today, when people who once dismissed her now say, “We are proud of you, Dipa,” she considers that her greatest victory.
Changing the face of Indian gymnastics
“Before Rio, no one knew Dipa Karmakar, no one knew gymnastics, and no one knew Tripura. After Rio, these three things got recognition. I believe that this is my biggest achievement — gymnastics was a sport that everyone used to call a circus, but now people don’t say that anymore. Now, it’s a sport that can shape the careers of children in the country,” a proud Dipa tells TimesofIndia.com.
Her fourth-place finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics may not have brought home a medal, but it transformed the topography of Indian gymnastics.
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From being an overlooked discipline, often dismissed as mere acrobatics, gymnastics is now a legitimate career path for young athletes.
And Tripura, a small northeastern state “often mistaken for being part of Bangladesh”, is a recognised hub of talent.
“Hearing that the talented children in Tripura have come forward really makes me happy. In India, the way women’s participation in gymnastics was low, it has now risen. There’s so much interest among girls in gymnastics — whether it’s about performing or winning medals — that I feel very proud knowing that after the Olympics, so many changes have occurred.”
With recognition came fame, something Dipa never actively sought but humbly embraced.
“Earlier, people didn’t approach for selfies, but now they come for selfies and autographs. I am like Tripura’s golden girl. And meeting Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, going to KBC, and meeting Prime Minister Modi Sir — these experiences have been amazing.”
Yet, despite all the accolades, Dipa remains grounded in reality. For her, dreams are important, but they are only meaningful when turned into reality.
“I don’t like to just dream; I prefer to live in reality, but without dreams, reality can’t happen either. Many dreams in my life have been fulfilled, but not everything has come true — some dreams remain unfulfilled. Olympic and Asian Games medals are still there, but I hope something good will happen because these dreams have stayed with me.”
Retirement call: The final bow
On an odd evening in October 2024, Dipa, at the age of 31, shreds an unforeseen announcement of her retirement, marking the end of a journey that saw her defy the odds, shatter stereotypes, and place Indian gymnastics on the global map.
As a five-year-old with flat feet, she was told she would never make it as a gymnast. But determination proved her stronger than biology.
Over a 25-year career, Dipa’s achievements were groundbreaking.
However, behind the medals and milestones was a battle with her own body.
“My body was not cooperating at all; I had undergone two surgeries. The last 5-6 years were really tough — my life was in a bad place. After the Olympics, my down period started, and after two knee surgeries, my knees were in really bad condition. Practising while taking painkillers every day was not easy. I had two ACL surgeries, my shoulder was injured, and just before the Asian Championship, I cracked my wrist. My ankle has been broken so many times, I don’t even know — at least 20-25 times. When your body doesn’t allow you to go on, just pushing through doesn’t bring any benefit,” Dipa shares, reflecting on making an abrupt retirement call.
Nevertheless, it was not so abrupt on her side. The final decision came after Dipa won gold at the 2024 Asian Championships. She discussed the possibility of retirement with her coach and family. The verdict was clear: it was time to let go.
“I used to cry during practice every day because of the pain in my legs and hands. Vaulting was my main event, and when I couldn’t do vaulting anymore, nothing else seemed to matter. Sir said it was the best time to retire. By God’s grace, I became the national champion six times. I may not have won an Olympic or Asian Games medal, but I want the next generation to achieve that.”
“Naturally, my family was very upset and told me to try again if I could. But I told them — this is the condition of my legs. My father was a weightlifting coach at SAI. But parents are always parents — they naturally get worried. If I hadn’t had the surgeries on my hands and if my body had allowed me, then retirement would never have been a discussion,” an emotional Dipa adds.
Life after retirement: A new chapter begins
For Dipa Karmakar, though, retirement hasn’t meant slowing down — it’s been quite the opposite.
“Since retirement, I have become much busier. Earlier, it was all about practice, rest, and living a strictly disciplined life — everything, including food, was very strict. Now, I eat whatever I can get. I love food, especially fish and meat — I can’t live without them. I also love sweets. I’m a foodie. But due to the pressure at work, I don’t get time to rest in the afternoon. Life has completely changed.”
Now serving as the Deputy Director of the Tripura Sports Department, she finds herself in a different kind of pressure — somewhere in the middle of balancing administrative duties with her passion for coaching young gymnasts.
“I wasn’t as active on social media before, but now I am much more active. Now, I can spend more time with my family. Life has become much more undisciplined; I’m gaining weight because I eat so much, and I’m wondering what will happen to me in future (laughs).”
But beyond the newfound freedom in food and lifestyle, what worries her most is the shifting mindset of young athletes today.
“Nowadays, children always think short-term; they can’t think long-term, and they want things to be achieved quickly. But when I look at my own life, I feel that the faster you get something, the faster it slips away. There’s a saying that if you get something without struggling, you won’t understand the value of it. So, they really need to build their mental strength. Earlier, there were a lot of children in the field, but now the numbers have significantly decreased.”
With her decades of experience, Dipa hopes to give back to Indian gymnastics by mentoring the next generation. But balancing it with her government role is a challenge.
“I want to coach children in the coming days. I enjoy coaching, but I don’t know how far I will go because I am currently the Deputy Director of the Tripura Sports Department. So, I don’t know how much I can manage because if I sit in the office, it will be difficult for me.”
However, she believes that real learning happens on the field, not just in offices or meeting rooms.
“A sportsperson can truly understand a situation practically by being in the field, just like I learned by observing my coach. So, I hope to continue working in the field. Right now, I’m in the field, with classes in the afternoon and office in the morning. I have taken a few kids under my wing, and I believe it’s important to focus on grassroots development because if the grassroots level is strong, the children will grow up to be very good.”
A legacy of courage
Throughout her prolonged sports career, Dipa had only one coach — Bishweshwar Nandi — whose mentorship was the constant thread in her pursuit of excellence.
Along with dedicated team members like Bhavna Ma’am and Sajid Da (the physio), she experienced a period of unparalleled unity and organisation, especially from 2013 to 2016.
That era was not just about training, in Dipa’s words, it was about a shared belief that together, they could overcome any challenge.
“During the time I was learning the Produnova, I was very scared,” Dipa concludes. “Thoughts like ‘Why isn’t it going right day by day?’ kept coming to my mind. But for me, it was clear: ‘Dipa, you have to do this! You have to prove that women can achieve something.'”
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