Finland., JULY 21,
No device can measure the impact created by Hima Das in Tampere, Finland. Considering the buzz the historic gold medal generated in the news and social media, one can safely assume that Hima caught the nation’s imagination when she became the first Indian to win a track event at an elite world competition. For a country starved of success at the top level, Hima’s shining 400m gold at the World U20 Championships has provided a ray of hope. Indeed, her rise, which has attracted sceptical scrutiny, is nothing short of magical. Spotted last January, the girl from the remote Kandhulimari village near Dhing town in Assam has made light of the hardships of staying alone in Guwahati to break one barrier after another. She has improved her times in fast-forward mode, first at national and international youth meets and then at the elite competitions.
