Photography: Tamanna Satsangi Concept & Styling: Sonam Oberoi Location: Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You first gained attention when you won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, becoming the first Indian female gymnast to do so in the history of the Games and becoming an inspiration for thousands of women who look up to you. What is a day like in the life of Dipa Karmakar both while training for competitions and on daily basis?
Ms. Dipa Karmakar:
To excel in a sport, an athlete has to undergo tremendous hardship and make huge sacrifices on a daily basis. A day in my life is no different, before competitions, the training is definitely more intense and the focus tends to encompass technical aspects, physical training and also preparing on the mental side of things. When a competition isn’t around the corner, the training is not as intense with more liberal recovery times. During this phase, a lot of planning goes into which events to target, what new moves can be looked at and also studying the competition.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are the fifth woman in gymnastics history to land the Produnova vault, which currently has a 7.0 D-score, and is the hardest vault performed in women’s artistic gymnastics. Share with us your preparation, training, and motivation that has helped you to reach this height and helped achieve such expertise in your sport.
Ms. Dipa Karmakar:
My day starts early at 6am where I start my day with breakfast and head for my training, I train rigorously for 4 hours and then have my lunch and rest for a while before heading for my training again which usually goes on till 8 in the evening.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are a proud recipient of Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India. No doubt it is a matter of great honour to be invested in an individual, when were you informed and what was your first reaction? Do share your family reaction?
Ms. Dipa Karmakar:
The announcement was made a few days before I was undergoing surgery. It was a very proud moment not just for my family and coach but also the entire gymnastic federation because no one earlier had received a Padma Shri for gymnastics at such a young age. However, I was worried if I would be able to make it to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and receive my award. However, post my surgery, my physio had put in all his efforts to make sure I was able to walk up to the President and receive my award which was a great honour for me.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Winning involves a lot of determination and hard work, more so in the life of a sportswoman. What exercises comprise your fitness regime when you are preparing for competition? Elaborate on cardio, flexibility & strength training?
Ms. Dipa Karmakar:
When I am preparing for my competition, it is usually intense training which also includes my rehab sessions. My fitness regime includes a lot of strength training, flexibility, agility, static and dynamic movements and certain exercises which are specific to gymnastic. In cardio, I sprint for 70-80 metres. To ensure that the muscles remain flexible and strong I do certain hamstring exercises. My post training exercises include a lot of stretching and muscle massages.