New Delhi: Star sprinter and Arjuna awardee Hima Das was Friday inducted in the Assam Police as a Deputy Superintendent. The induction took place in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in a ceremony in Guwahati that was attended by top functionaries of the state government.
In a tweet, Das described her induction as a dream that came true. She also expressed gratitude to the CM, state minister Himanta Biswa and Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
I'm so happy that one of my biggest dreams came true today. I am proud to be the DSP, @assampolice .
It's an honour I will always wear with pride.
I would like to thank our CM @sarbanandsonwal sir, @himantabiswa sir and @KirenRijiju sir for their constant support.
Contd..1/2 pic.twitter.com/ftgA16goqf
— Hima (mon jai) (@HimaDas8) February 26, 2021
“On one side, it’s a great morale booster. Secondly she would play a great role in, as our CM & Central Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, helping other athletes come up. Hima has over time been a brand ambassador for various aspects in Assam, including social issues,” Additional Director General of Police, Assam Police, Harmeet Singh told ThePrint.
“While she’s also looking forward to playing the role of a police person, we wish her well and want her to continue training hard to excel in the Tokyo Olympics,” he added.
Also read: ULFA’s Paresh Baruah ‘hopeful of positive result’ in Quippo abduction, says 60% Assam backs us
‘Dhing Express’
Hima Das was born in Kandhulimari village near the town of Dhing in Assam’s Nagaon district. She had wanted to pursue a career as a footballer, but seeing little scope for the sport in India soon took up sprint running.
Within a few short years, Das has managed to win many accolades — her first was in April 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia when she set the Indian-under-20 record.
Then in July 2018, Das won the 400-metre final at the World U-20 Championships in Finland. In 2018, Asian Games she won a silver medal in the 4×400-metre mixed relay. In 2019, Das ended up bagging five gold medals across various athletics meets.
Touted as the ‘Dhing Express’, Das was also conferred the Arjuna Award, India’s highest sporting award, in 2018.
Two roles
On 11 February, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju had said the sprinter will continue running even after her appointment. According to the Assam ADGP, her career as a sprinter and her responsibilities in the force will go hand-in-hand.
“As it does in other police forces… after all Harbhajan (Singh) was a DSP in Punjab police. A lot of the wrestlers are DSPs in Haryana Police and over the years the central police forces have had national level sports players. It goes hand-in-hand,” Singh told ThePrint.
“They’re bringing along with them not only a skillset in a particular sport but also perseverance, sincerity, motivation and hard work which are qualities you need in any field… As far as a little bit of retooling is concerned, of course we will train them in the art of policing,” he added.
Also read: A great new churn has begun in Indian politics