Exclusive: Asmita Dey opens up on father's sacrifices after historic CWG gold

In a series of magical events, 23-year-old Asmita Dey etched her name in the history books by dropping a remarkable performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026. The Indian judoka secured the gold medal in the women's 48kg category, becoming the first-ever Indian to win a Commonwealth Games gold in Judo. Her triumph also marked India's first ever gold in the sport at the Games. After surpassing previous obstacles in title bouts, Asmita stood up to the occasion by defeating Canada's Heidi Quach in an amazing final that was decided by a golden score. After her landmark achievement, the newly crowned champion had an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak regarding her journey that helped her reach the podium.

Asmita disclosed that her father would have been the happiest person to see her win the gold medal. He had been her biggest inspiration, working as a bicycle mechanic to ensure daughter's dreams never suffered despite family's financial background. 

However, his passing changed her life in a moment. Along with coping with the emotional loss of her father, Asmita had to take responsibility for all the household duties, managing expenses such as rent and daily needs. Despite those challenges, she continued her training with strong determination and managed to scripted history by standing atop the podium in Glasgow.

Big loss before Commonwealth Games 2026

Hailing from South Tripura, where she was born on March 22, 2003, Asmita Dey's journey was founded by the sacrifices of her father, Arjun Dey, a bicycle repairman who did everything in his capacity to support her dreams. But her road to the Commonwealth Games was overshadowed by personal loss when her father suffered a fatal brain stroke in December 2025, a few days before her selection trials in New Delhi.

The heartbreaking loss left Asmita grieving at a big stage of her career, yet she refused to give up on her dreams. Drawing strength from her memories, she secured her place in the Indian squad and went on to create history with a gold-medal in Glasgow.

Father was emotional support for Asmita

While opening up on her historic gold medal at the Games, Asmita talked about the unwavering support of her late father. She remembered that whenever financial hurdles threatened her training or competitions, he never let her lose hope.

"My father was biggest pillar. Whenever I needed money for my sport, he would simply tell me, 'You just focus on your game, I'll arrange the rest somehow.' Despite running a small bicycle repair shop, he always found a way to support me," she said.

Asmita also revealed how her father was feeling during the time of her maiden senior national title. As per Asmita, the had been delayed, leaving her father anxiously waiting for a phone call. When she could not contact him soon after the event, he feared she had lost and was too disappointed to speak.

"He was so worried that he could not even eat properly. When I finally reached out to him and inform that I won the gold medal, he was so happy. If that win made him so happy, I can only imagine how proud he would have been to see me win this Commonwealth Games Gold." she added.

Asmita handling the entire household

Asmita revealed that she is now solely responsible for the household after her father's tragic passing. Serving as a sub-inspector with the Uttar Pradesh Police, she said her salary covers key expenses such as rent and daily household needs.