'Signing off from mat': Gymnast Dipa Karmakar announces retirement

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who missed the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics by just 0.15 points, called curtains on her 13-year-long career through a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

The 31-year-old remembered the start of her journey in the sport while thanking her coaches, sponsors, and the state government of Tripura for supporting her throughout her career. She mentioned that after winning the gold medal in the 2024 Tashkent Asian Championships, she thought she could extend her career a little more, but unfortunately, she could not. Ultimately, she asked her supporters to give the same love and support to other girls as they had given her.
 

 

Early life

Born on June 9, 1997, in Agartala, Tripura, Dipa Karmakar's journey into gymnastics began at an early age. Her father, Bisweswar Karmakar, a former national-level gymnast, played an instrumental role in nurturing her talent. Under his guidance, Dipa honed her abilities and developed a deep passion for gymnastics.
 

Career highlights
 

Dipa's breakthrough moment came at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she secured a bronze medal in the vault event. This victory was a historic milestone for India, marking the country's first-ever medal in women’s gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games. Her outstanding performance garnered international recognition, establishing her as a rising talent in the sport.

In 2016, Dipa made history again by qualifying for the Rio Olympics, becoming the first Indian female gymnast to compete at the Summer Olympics in nearly five decades. At the Games, she showcased her exceptional skills, finishing fourth in the vault final and narrowly missing a bronze medal, a moment that remains significant in India's Olympic history.

Beyond these achievements, Dipa has won gold and bronze medals at various World Cups and Asian Championships. Her extraordinary contributions to Indian sports were recognised in 2016 when she was honoured with the Padma Shri and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards.
 

List of Dipa Karmakar’s achievements
 

Year	Achievements
2014	Bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games (Vault)
2016	Fourth place at the Rio Olympics (Vault)
2017	Gold medal at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships (Vault)
2019	Gold medal at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships (Vault)
Multiple times	Gymnast of the Year by the Gymnastics Federation of India
2016	Arjuna Award
2017	Padma Shri