India's golden girl Hima now chases Asian Games and Olympic dreams

India's Hima Das celebrates after winnings the 400m gold at the World Junior Athletics Championships (AP)

At a time when India's political leaders have been squabbling over the NRC (National Register of Citizens) to make Assam their first battlefield for next year's general election, Hima Das, the 18-year-old girl from a remote Assam village, is fighting her own battle in a quiet stadium in Europe. 
Hima's epoch-making run last month at the World Junior Athletics Championships catapulted her to stardom and even inspired Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar to plan a biopic on her. 
But the journey has only started for the daughter of a rice farmer who is now aiming to become only the second gold medallist from her state at the Asian Games - the most prestigious multi-sports event after the Olympics. 
Hima, who is currently training in Prague for the Jakarta Asian Games which begins on August 18, knows it's not just about running any more.
For someone who is famous in her circle for her carefree attitude, Hima now needs to cope with the pressure of expectations. 
"There were no expectations from her at the World Junior Championships last month. There was no pressure," her coach Nabajit Malakar admitted during an interview with Khaleej Times.
"I spoke to her over phone just before she went to run that final in Finland. She told me, 'Sir, apuni sinta nokoribo. Phali dim moi' (Sir, you don't worry. I will smash them all).
"She was obviously so happy to have become the first Indian ever to win a track gold at the World Junior Championships. But she didn't really understand the significance of what she achieved until she woke up next day and saw congratulatory messages from people like Narendra Modi, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
"She called us and cried. She was unable to say anything. We didn't know what to tell her because this was not the Hima we knew," said Malakar.

Hima speaks to Nabajit Malakar every day on her training and improving her time
Hima, says Malakar, has now realised that her every step will be followed.
"She has received lot of interview requests from journalists. But she is not taking the phone. She is just concentrating on winning a medal at the Asian Games. I talk to her almost every day. We don't talk about winning medals. We just talk about training and improving her time. She knows if she keeps improving her time she will win a medal in Jakarta."
Bahrain's Kemi Adekoya (Personal Best 50.72) clocked 51.59 to win the 400m gold at the 2014 Asian Games. 
Hima's personal best is 51.13.
"Hima clocked 51.46 when she won the gold in Finland. She needs a strong field to improve her time. In Finland, she was too good for the rest. Hima gives a good time every time she competes with strong athletes," Malakar said. 
While Malakar refused to predict if Hima could win a gold in Jakarta, Nipon Das, her first professional coach who brought her to Guwahati from her village in Dhing, remains confident.
"I am confident because she is very confident," Das told Khaleej Times. 
"Don't forget that this is a girl who hadn't seen a synthetic track until January 2017. So what she has done is unbelievable.
"When I brought her to Guwahati, she was only running in inter-district events where there were no synthetic tracks. Her parents were little worried when I told them that I wanted to take her to Guwahati for training. Eventually they agreed."

Hima Das with her first coach Nipon Das who brought her to Guwahati from her village in Dhing
But it wasn't easy initially as Hima needed funds. 
"Luckily, we found an angel in Putul Kumar Sharma. He is a doctor who took care of Hima's travel expenses whenever we needed to take her to national camps," Das said.
So what was so special about her when he first saw her?
"Her speed, her determination and her will to keep improving her time. I have seen quite a few talented athletes in my career as a coach, but Hima was different. You don't find an athlete like her often," he said. 
And that's the reason Malakar believes Hima could be the next PT Usha.
"See, we are not expecting a medal from her at the 2020 Olympics. But she will have a chance to create history in 2024 Olympics. She will be 24 then. That would be her best chance. You know PT Usha finished fourth in the 1984 Olympics. Hima could go one step further," Malakar said. 
It's, of course, Hima's dream to win an Olympic medal one day.
A die-hard fan of Assamese superstar Zubeen Garg, Hima recently sang a line from the singer's cult song - Mon Jai (I feel like) - in an interview with a local Assamese news channel.
"Mon jai muru mon jai...Sokut soku thoi sabole...laahe laahe usor pabole (I feel like looking into your eyes...I feel like slowly coming closer to you)". 
After surprising the reporter with her vocals, Hima said: "I also want to slowly come closer to that Olympic medal and wear it one day."
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal felicitates Hima's parents Jonali and Ranjit Das. (Picture courtesySarbananda Sonowal's Facebook page)
 

• Athletics