Star sprinter Hima Das, who is currently looking to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, has been appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police by the Assam government. (More Sports News)
This was decided in a cabinet meeting led by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday.
The cabinet also decided to amend the integrated sports policy of the state by appointing sportspersons as Class-I and Class-II officers in different department of the state like Police, Excise, Transport etc, government spokesman and Industry minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told reporters.
Hima thanked Assam Chief Minister and former Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for the job, saying it will motivate her.
"I thank our Hon’ble Chief Minister @sarbanandsonwal sir @himantabiswa
sir for my appointment as Deputy SP with @assampolice The decision is a huge motivation for me. I look forward to be of service to my state and my nation. Jai Hind!" Hima said in a tweet.
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Nicknamed 'Dhing Express', Hima Das is a 20-year-old Indian sprinter from Assam.
She became the first Indian woman indeed the first ever Indian athlete to win a gold medal in any format of a global track event at IAAF World U20 Championships when she clocked a
speed of 51.46 seconds.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju lauded Assam government for the decision.
"Well done! Assam Cabinet, headed by CM @sarbanandsonwal Ji has decided to offer the post of DSP in Assam Police to sprinter queen @HimaDas8!," Rijiju tweeted.
The 21-year-old from Assam, known as 'Dhing Express' referring to the town near her native village, is currently training at the NIS-Patiala and will be aiming to qualify foe the Tokyo Olympics as the athletics calendar starts in a few days.
The reigning world junior 400m champion, who won a silver in women's 400m rin the 2018 Asian Games, was also part of the gold-winning women's 400m relay and mixed 400m relay quartets in the quadrennial event in Jakarta.
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Rijiju, however, made it clear that Hima will continue to run for the country despite her appointment as DSP.
"Many people are asking, what about Hima's sports career? She is training for Olympic qualification at NIS Patiala & will keep running for India," Rijiju said in another tweet.
"Our elite Athletes are employed in various jobs yet continue to play. Even after retirement, they'll be engaged in promoting sports."
