Hima Das (born 9 January 2000), nicknamed Dhing Express,[8] is an Indian sprinter from the state of Assam. She holds the current Indian national record in 400 meters with a timing of 50.79 s that she clocked at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. She is the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track event at the IAAF World U20 Championships. She was appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Assam Police[9] under the state's Integrated Sport Policy.[10]

Hima Das
Das at the 2018 Asian Games
Personal information
Native nameহিমা দাস
Birth nameHima Das
NicknameDhing Express[1][2]
Born (2000-01-09) 9 January 2000 (age 24)
Dhing, Nagaon, Assam, India[2][3]
Height167 cm (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Weight54 kg (119 lb)
Police career
Allegiance India
Department Police Department
BranchAssam Police[4]
Service years2021-present
Rank DSP
AwardsArjuna Award
Sport
Country India
SportTrack and field
Event(s)100 m
200 m
400 m
Coached byGalina Bukharina[2]
Achievements and titles
Personal bests100 m – 11.63 (2021)
200 m – 22.88 (2021)[5]
400 m – 50.79 (NR, 2018)[6][7]
Medal record
Representing  India
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Asian Games 2 1
World U20 Championships 1
Total 3 1 0
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta Women's 4×400 m
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta Mixed 4×400 m
Silver medal – second place 2018 Jakarta 400 m
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Tampere 400 m
Updated on 21 July 2019

Early life

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Hima Das was born at Kandhulimari village, near the town of Dhing in her home state of Assam to Ronjit Das and Jonali Das.[8] Her parents are farmers by profession. She is the youngest of five siblings.[11] She completed early education from Dhing Public High School. She used to play football and had always wanted to pursue a career in football. However, she did not see any prospects for herself in the women's football in India.

At one of the inter-school camps held at the nearby Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), she would arrive at the ground before practise began, and sometimes even before the gates were opened. A physical education teacher at the Vidyalaya was impressed by her determination and punctuality. He later convinced her to pursue a career in sprinting.[12]

Das passed her 12th board exams in May 2019.[13] She is currently pursuing her B.A degree in Cotton University, Assam.[14]

Career

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In April 2018, Das competed in the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, Australia, in the 400 metres and the 4×400 metres relay.[3][15]

On 12 July 2018, Das won the 400 m final at the World U-20 Championships 2018 held at Tampere, Finland, clocking 51.46 seconds and becoming the first Indian sprinter to win a gold medal at an international track event.[16]

At the 2018 Asian Games, Das qualified for the 400 m final, after clocking 51.00 in heat 1 and setting a new Indian national record.[17] On 26 August 2018 she improved the national record to 50.79 s in the 400 m final however she could win only the silver medal.[18] Later on 30 August 2018, she, along with M. R. Poovamma, Sarita Gayakwad and V. K. Vismaya won the women's 4 × 400 metres relay clocking 3:28.72. Hima also won a gold medal in the 4 × 400 m mixed relay, which was held for the first time at Asian Games.[19]

Das continued her success in 2019 winning the 200m gold in Poznan Grand Prix in Poland, on 2 July 2019, with a time of 23.65 seconds.[20][21]

On 13 July, she won the 200m at the Kladno Meet in the Czech Republic with a time of 23.43 seconds.[22][23]

On 20 July 2019, she achieved her third win in a month, and fifth win, in the 400-meters in Nové Město, Czech Republic in a time of 52.09 seconds.[24]

She was named for the World Championships to be held at Doha in October 2019. However a month before, she was ruled out of participation due to a back problem, that had started right after she competed at the Asian games the previous year.[25]

On 27 February 2021, Das enrolled as a civil servant in the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police of Assam Police Service cadre through Assam Public Service Commission Direct Entry.[26]

Awards and accolades

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President Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Arjuna Award to Das (left) in 2018

References

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  1. ^ Loiwal, Manogya (23 July 2018) Hima Das: Tracing star sprinter's journey from Assam's rice fields to global stardom – Sports News. India Today.
  2. ^ a b c d Hima Das Archived 5 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine. asiangames2018.id
  3. ^ a b "Hima Das". Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Athlete Hima Das appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police of Assam". Business Standards. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Hima DAS | Profile". worldathletics.org.
  6. ^ "Hima Das, records and biography". Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Hima Das wins 5th gold of the month after successful return to 400m". India Today. 20 July 2019.
  8. ^ a b Desk, Sentinel Digital (5 March 2021). "Assam's Dhing Express Hima Das: Early Life, Struggle, First Recognition, Award & Achievements - Sentinelassam". www.sentinelassam.com. Retrieved 17 November 2022. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "Hima Das inducted as DSP in Assam, says will continue her athletics career". The Times of India. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Assam govt decides to appoint sprinter Hima Das as DSP". The Times of India. 10 February 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Hima Das: From Dhing village to World Championship Golds". The Statesman. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Hima Das: The girl who chases time". The Indian Express. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Results are out: Hima Das juggles training & studies, secures first division in her 12th board exams". The Economic Times. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Hima Das: The girl who chases time". The Indian Express. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Result – Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final". Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Hima Wins Historic Gold for India". Hotstar. 13 July 2018. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Assam's Hima Das breaks national record". time8.in. 25 August 2018. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  18. ^ "Hima Das wins 400m silver in national record time". The Economic Times. 26 August 2018.
  19. ^ "Welcome To IANS - India's Largest Independent News Service - login". ians.in.
  20. ^ "Hima Das wins 200m gold in Poland". Press Trust of India. 4 July 2019.
  21. ^ "Hima sprints to second international gold within a week". Gulf News Sport. 8 July 2019.
  22. ^ "Hima Das wins third gold in less than two weeks". The Times of India. 13 July 2019.
  23. ^ "Hima Das Sprints To 4th Gold In 15 Days". NDTV Sports. 18 July 2019.
  24. ^ "Hima Das wins fifth gold of month, returns to favourite event in style". The Indian Express. 20 July 2019.
  25. ^ "Hima Das ruled out of World Championship due to back problem". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  26. ^ a b "Hima Das Appointed Deputy Superintendent In Assam Police | Other Sports News". NDTVSports.com. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  27. ^ Tamang, Sylvester (25 September 2018) Virat Kohli, Mirabai Chanu Conferred Khel Ratna; Neeraj Chopra, Hima Das Get Arjuna Award. sports.ndtv.com
  28. ^ a b "Hima Das appointed as UNICEF India's first youth ambassador". India Today. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  29. ^ Singh, Bikash (14 July 2018). "'Golden Girl' Hima Das to be made Assam's sports brand ambassador". The Economic Times. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  30. ^ Loiwal, Manogya. "Hima Das: Tracing star sprinter's journey from Assam's rice fields to global stardom". India Today.
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