The first Indian gymnast to reach the finals of the Olympic Games, Dipa Karmakar celebrates her 23rd birthday on Tuesday, far away from her family in Rio de Janeiro.
Back home in Agartala, her father claimed that the family is missing the youngster on her special day and that they will only celebrate once Dipa returns from the Rio Games.
"We will badly miss her on her birthday. During her absence, we do not want to celebrate her birthday. We will pray for her success in the temples tomorrow. That will be her birthday gift from our side. I will arrange for a grand party to celebrate her success once she arrives," her father Dulal Karmakar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Dipa, who became the first Indian to make the cut for the individual vault finals in her debut Olympic Games after finishing eighth in the qualifying round, will compete for a historic medal in the finals on August 14.
The Tripura-girl, who is the country's first woman gymnast to qualify for the Olympics, managed to perform her much-appreciated 'Produnova' vault cleanly to secure 14.850 points after two attempts in the qualification round.
Her mother Gouri Karmakar hailed her coach Bishweswar Nandi and credited him for Dipa's success.
"I am happy that Dipa qualified the vault final and hope she will again make the state feel proud in the final round. Dipa is very dedicated to her sports and above all, her coach Bisweswar babu dedicated his attention to her all the time," she said.
"Dipa di has made us feel proud. We all were tensed last night about her while watching TV in the hostel. We wish her all the best for the finals," Apurba Lodh, a junior gymnast at the Tripura Sports School, where Dipa practised ahead of the Olympics.
- Here is your chance to wish Dipa on her birthday and also send her good wishes for the Olympic final
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