Tripura government gives promotions to gymnast Dipa, coach

Agartala, Aug 23 (IANS) The Tripura government on Tuesday gave out of turn promotions to ace gymnast Dipa Karmakar and her coach Bisheshwar Nandi in their government jobs under the sports and youth affairs department, a minister said.

"Dipa would be promoted from existing sports officer to assistant director and Nandi from assistant director to deputy director of the Tripura government's sports and youth affairs department," Information, Cultural Affairs and Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

He said the Tripura cabinet headed by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar took the decision to recognise Dipa and Nandi's performance at the Rio Olympics.

Sarkar led a huge civic reception for Dipa and Nandi on Monday. Dipa, the first Indian women gymnast to take part in the Olympics, put up a creditable performance to finish fourth in the final round, missing out on bronze by a whisker.

Dipa will sit for her MA examination in political science under Tripura (Central) University from Tuesday. The tests will continue till August 30.

She is pursuing the course via a distance education programme as she is a government job holder.

"I took my books to Rio de Janeiro and studied as and when I got scope in between my gymnastics practice there," Dipa told reporters before entering the examination hall on Tuesday.

While addressing the gathering organised by the government on Monday for a reception to Dipa and Nandi, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said : "I believe she will do well in her MA examination too."

The Union sports ministry on Monday announced to confer the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ranta award to Dipa and the Dronacharya award to her coach Bisheshwar Nandi.