Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: Commonwealth Games judo champion Asmita Dey touched down at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala on August 12. Hundreds of supporters cheered her return. She secured India's first ever judo gold medal at the Games by defeating Canada’s Heidi Quach in the women’s 48kg final. The win required a Golden Score finish.
The state government held a special ceremony at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan to honor her victory. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha presented Dey with a 10 lakh rupee cheque and a land allotment document. Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Tinku Roy and Mayor Dipak Majumder joined the event. Gymnast Dipa Karmakar also attended to celebrate the athlete.
Dey credits her success to years of steady habits. She spoke to reporters about the path to her win. "I want to say that the goal I have been working towards, which was to win a medal, has been achieved. I still have other goals that I need to accomplish, but for now, my small goal has been fulfilled."
India’s judo team left a mark at the Games. Harsh Singh took gold, while Yamini Mourya earned silver and Unnati Sharma grabbed bronze. This brings the national medal count to four. Dr. Saha highlighted that the state remains committed to building better sports infrastructure. He views Dey and Karmakar as benchmarks for local talent.
Updated at 12th August 2026 at 10:01pm
Dey hails from Sonaichari village in South Tripura's Belonia subdivision. The state government provided the land allotment document specifically to help her family address ongoing housing problems.
While Dey currently serves under the Uttar Pradesh Home Department, officials confirmed the Tripura government will continue to back her career. The Chief Minister touted ongoing infrastructure projects, including new synthetic football and hockey fields, and the naming of local stadiums after past icons like Arjuna Awardees Montu Debnath, Kalpana Debnath, and Somdev Debbarman to keep their legacies alive.
Speaking to students, Dr. Saha urged them to balance books with athletics, stating, "A healthy mind lives in a healthy body," and framed sports as a legitimate career path for the region's youth.
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