Meet Kaberi Debbarma, another Dipa Karmakar in the making

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AGARTALA: If one has the zeal to reach the peak, he could attain his goal by leaving no stone unturned against all odds. Kaberi Debbarma is one of those strugglers who came out to shine like stars breaking all obstacles.

Hailing from a remote village in Simna constituency, Kaberi, a student of class 10 wanted to make Tripura proud in gymnastics like Dipa Karmakar. Her father is a farmer and need not to say much about his earnings. Amidst poverty, Kaberi's parents never restrained her from dreaming to become next Dipa Karmakar. As her parents are not financially able to provide her coaching in Delhi, they sent her to Tripura Sports School, a government-run school set up for the students to nurture their talents in sports.

"As I didn't get any facilities for sports in my village, I came up to know about the test conducted by the Tripura Sports School in 2010. I didn't think twice and appeared in the test. Fortunately, I cracked the test. Now I am getting gymnastics coaching and pursuing my education simultaneously," Kaberi told Priyanka Deb Barman amidst a break in the school.

She, of late, participated in state-level and Northeast level meets. Ever since, she took up sports actively six years ago, she managed to bag two bronze and one silver. It was her paternal aunt, also a gymnast, who gave her the motivation to become a gymnast.

When asked about her dreams, she, without a second thought abruptly said 'I want to see myself in Olympics like Dipa di."

Kaberi now feels that life has more to offer than what she received in Simna. She believed that she took the right decision and in right time to use the platform to bring out her best.

To balance between her studies and gymnastics, she has set time for each activity. " I take on my gymnastics coaching in the morning and evening. After that, I devote my time and attention towards my study," she said.

Like Kaberi, Ankita Banik, another 'gymnast in the making' also targeted to pursue career in gymnastics. She bagged four gold medals in sub-junior North-east level meet in 2013 and had shown her best performances in state-level meets.

Apurba Lodh too, didn't let his list of achievements fall short. Apurba, studying in class X bagged one gold medal, one silver medal and one bronze medal in national-level meet in 2013-14 and two gold and one silver medals in Northeast level meet in 2013.

The 15-year-old Nabajit Chakraborty who has already fixed his target to become a gymnast, already took part in few state-level meets and bagged one bronze medal in Northeast level meet in 2013.

(By Priyanka Deb Barman)