The life of Hima Das – A Tale of Hardships and An Indomitable Spirit

People complaining about the lack of women superhero characters should read about the life of Desi wonder women who are carving an illustrious path for themselves in male-dominated fields. Hima Das, an Indian athlete, born in the remote village of Kandhulimari located in the town of Dhing in Assam, is an inspiration to women all around the world. At such a young age, Hima has managed to hold the attention of a nation that didn’t know about top Indian women sportspersons. She’s one of the most successful women in the history of Indian sports and has clocked in an unbelievable record of 11.74s in the 100m racing category.

The Golden Girl – Hima Das

Forget about expensive running shoes or proper practice gear, Hima Das didn’t even get a proper running track to practice on. Born to Ronjit Das and Jonali Das, Hima is the youngest of 5 siblings. Hailing from a family of farmers, she couldn’t imagine being able to afford the exorbitant fee that training institutes charge. But, while most people give up due to lack of resources, Hima through grit and a strong never-say-die spirit, practised rigorously with the help of the only resource she had- her physical prowess.

You would be surprised to know that early in her life, Hima wasn’t interested in a career in track and field. Although running was her passion, she wanted to explore a career in football. After several short stints in footballing, upon the advice of her Physical Education teacher at Dhing Public High School, Hima switched to sprinting.

A Glorious Career

Hima’s talent came to light after she participated in an inter-district sports meet in the year 2016. After that, there has been no looking back. She quickly rose through the ranks to compete in the Junior Nationals and reached the finals in the 100m category. Qualifying for the women’s 200m race at the Asian Youth Championships was the stepping stone of success for her. She went on to compete in the 2018 Commonwealth Games held at Gold Coast, Australia.

She rose to fame after a staggering win of 5 back-to-back gold medals in just a month during July 2019. The first one was at the Poznan Athletics Grand Prix in Poland while the rest 4 were at the Athletic meet in the Czech Republic. This unbelievable record won her the title of ‘The Golden Girl’. If this didn’t inspire you enough, Hima Das is the first Indian athlete to bag a gold medal in any event of the IAAF World Under 20 Championships.

Accolades and Endorsements

• At 18 years of age, Hima Das was nominated for the Arjuna Award.
• She is Assam’s State Brand Ambassador for sports.
• UNICEF-India appointed Hima Das as the first Youth Ambassador for India.
• Adidas India has signed Hima Das for a 5-year sports endorsement deal.

Hima Das is the embodiment of strength and determination. Her strong will-power made her spring back from a career-threatening back injury in 2019. We salute this great personality and wish her all the success in life. You go, girl!