Dipa Karmakar, the trailblazing Indian gymnast, has expressed concern over the lack of passion among the current generation of gymnasts. She believes that this deficiency is hindering their ability to excel on the global stage.
Karmakar, who made history as the first Indian woman gymnast to compete at the Olympics and finished a remarkable fourth in the 2016 Rio Games, retired earlier this month. Her career was marked by her awe-inspiring performances of the highly-difficult Produnova vault.
“There was ‘junoon’ (passion) in Dipa, that is why. Same for Pranati,” she said, referring to the scarcity of successful Indian women gymnasts. “I can’t see this ‘junoon’ (passion) much in the current generation (of gymnasts). I feel they look for short term, instant success.”
Karmakar also highlighted the problems plaguing the national federation, which she believes have not helped the cause of Indian gymnastics. She cited the lack of clear selection criteria for the Asian Games as an example.
“There was a problem between the SAI and the federation. For example, the selection criteria for the last Asian Games (2023) were known only after the actual trials,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Karmakar remains committed to giving back to the sport. She plans to become a coach or support the next generation of gymnasts in their pursuit of dreams.
Meanwhile, Indian men’s doubles shuttler Chirag Shetty has set his sights on an Olympic medal in 2028. He and his partner Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are currently recovering from injuries but plan to return to the international circuit soon.
“Medal in 2028 LA Olympics is the target,” Shetty said. “We wanted to win a medal in the Paris Olympics but that was not to be. But never say never. We have won almost every medal except for an Olympics medal. We would also like to win gold in the World Championships.”
Shetty acknowledged the historic Thomas Cup title win, attributing it to the team’s unwavering determination. “The difference was in the urge and jest to win the title,” he said.
