Judoka Asmita Dey: Loans funded my Glasgow gold journey

Asmita Dey won India's first-ever Commonwealth Games judo gold in the women's 48kg category at the 2026 Glasgow Games, ending a 36-year medal drought in the sport. The 23-year-old from Tripura achieved the historic feat despite significant financial hardship. Dey, who took multiple loans to fund overseas training camps in Germany and France without informing her family, has struggled to afford the ₹1.5-2 lakh required for European training trips. She supports her family, including her mother, on a ₹40,000 monthly salary from her job with Uttar Pradesh Police, which she secured in 2023. Her father, a cycle mechanic who died last year, was her biggest supporter. Judo was removed from SAI's Target Olympic Podium Scheme, leaving no judoka currently receiving government funding, which critics say reflects a short-sighted selection policy.