Dipa Karmakar Appears For MA Exams A Day After Returning From Rio, Sets Stellar Example For Students

Life is all about juggling responsibilities. Some do it wisely, some struggle with it and some blow us over with the kind of success they achieve at it. India's star gymnast Dipa Karmakar definitely knows how to manage both studies and her sports.

PTI

A day after returning from Rio Games where she put India on the Olympic map of gymnastics, and after making it through scores of fans, supporters and politicians who felicitated her, Dipa appeared for the second semester exams of her Masters of Arts course in Agartala on Tuesday. Seeing Dipa appear for exams at the Distance Learning Center of Tripura University, people marveled at her dedication to studies.

Now Dipa, who missed out on a podium finish at Rio Olympics by a whisker, is upbeat that she'll possess a Masters degree in Political Science soon.

Officials at the exam center reportedly said that Dipa sitting for the exams is a message for all those students who look for excuses to not give their best at exams and skip the tests.

Reuters

"It's a striking example to other students also. One who plays at the Olympic level can also study side by side to acquire higher education, along with her achievements in sports," Dr KB Jamatia, the Director of Distance Education at Tripura University, is quoted as saying by NDTV.

Despite Dipa's commitments to gymnastics and her arduous routines at practice sessions while preparing for the Olympics, she never neglected studies. In fact, she took her books with her to Rio in order to be well prepared for these exams. During the long breaks between her gymnastics events, Dipa used to study from her books to be abreast with academics.

Reuters

"My daughter always says sports is in its place and education is in its place. She says she has to get a degree," Dipa's mother Gouri said.

Those who were appearing in exams along with Dipa stood massively impressed with her will to excel in both academics and sports. "In our country people are usually given a choice between sports and academics. Dipa Karmakar has proved you can do both. The students of Tripura are extremely proud of her," a young MA student said.