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India’s First Female Gymnastics Olympian, Dipa Karmakar Announces Retirement at 31

Dipa

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, celebrated for her achievements, announced her retirement from the sport on Monday. The 31-year-old, who hails from Agartala, Tripura, made history as the first Indian female gymnast to compete at the Olympics, narrowly missing a medal in women’s league event during the Rio 2016 Games.

Dipa’s remarkable career is marked by her mastery of the challenging Produnova, a feat accomplished by only a select group of gymnasts worldwide. Reflecting on her decision, she said, “After a lot of thinking, I have decided to retire from gymnastics. This decision wasn’t easy for me but now feels like the right time. Gymnastics has been a huge part of my life, and I am grateful for every moment, the highs, the lows, and everything in between.”

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Known as India’s “Small Wonder,” a title she earned through her biography, Dipa defied significant challenges, including being born with flat feet—a condition often deemed harmful for gymnasts. Throughout her career, she has emerged as India’s most successful gymnast. Just recently, she clinched gold at the Asian Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2024, making her the first Indian to secure a top podium finish at this continental event.

Dipa Karmakar’s accolades include the prestigious Padma Shri and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards. She pioneered several milestones for Indian gymnastics, becoming the first Indian woman to earn a medal at the Commonwealth Games with her bronze finish in Glasgow in 2014. Furthermore, she made history by winning a gold medal at the 2018 Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Mersin, Turkiye—the first Indian to do so at an international gymnastics competition. That same year, she also secured a bronze medal at the World Cup in Cottbus, Germany.

As Dipa embarks on her new chapter beyond gymnastics, her legacy will continue to inspire countless aspiring athletes across the nation.

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