NEW DELHI: As Asmita Dey walked into SEC Hall 4 for the women’s 48kg judo final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, she looked around for one familiar face. Standing there was her coach, Yashapal Solanki.Minutes later, Asmita defeated Canada’s Heidi Quach by yuko to become the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal. She came from behind to force the contest into Golden Score – judo’s version of sudden-death extra time – before landing the decisive yuko to seal a historic victory. After the final, Asmita walked straight towards Solanki and hugged him. Both were in tears.Solanki was not Asmita’s father. But after she lost her own father, he stepped into that role when she needed someone the most.A visibly emotional Asmita remembered both men after creating history.
“Papa jaane se pehle keh gaye the ki tum apne sapne ko aage badhana. Mere papa hamesha mujhe support karte the. Beech mein mujhe injury hui thi, tab papa mere liye Delhi aaye the. Dawai, ilaaj, sab kuch unhone hi sambhala tha. I dedicate this medal to my coach Solanki sir, my father, who passed away in December 2025 [Before he passed away, my father told me to keep chasing my dreams. He always supported me. When I got injured, he came to Delhi for me and took care of my treatment. I dedicate this medal to my coach Solanki sir and to my father, who passed away in December 2025],” Asmita had told reporters after winning the gold medal.
Father’s dream
Her father, Arjun Dey, who ran a cycle repair shop in Tripura, passed away in December, leaving Asmita heartbroken. She even thought of quitting the sport.After attending the funeral and the last rites, Solanki convinced her that fulfilling her father’s dream was the best way to honour him.Apart from dealing with the emotional loss, Asmita was also battling a Grade-2 ankle injury.She returned to training at the Sports Authority of India centre in Bhopal under Solanki before moving to his academy in Delhi to continue her preparations. It was not easy. During training, memories of her father often overwhelmed her, and she would break down.
“The day after the 13th-day rituals for her father were completed, she came to Delhi. Two days later, we took her to France to prepare for the Commonwealth Games. She didn’t stop after that. I was worried too, but she always kept telling me, ‘Papa ka sapna poora karna hai’,” Solanki told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview from Birmingham.The injury made the challenge even tougher.“She suffered an injury before the Commonwealth Games. Surgery was discussed, so we sought second and third medical opinions. The doctors said that if she pushed herself a little, she could still compete. We decided to give it a try. She won the gold despite competing with a Grade-2 injury,” Solanki said.“The doctors had warned that the injury would trouble her repeatedly. She felt the pain several times during the bouts, but she never gave up.”For Solanki, it was another reminder of the resolve she had shown through the toughest phase of her life.“Her commitment is on another level. She is competing at a different level now. She cannot be stopped. Whensomeone loses a loved one, fear no longer remains. She is no longer afraid,” he said.
The debt
As grief and injury weren’t enough, financial hardship also threatened Asmita’s journey.During the Covid lockdown, her father struggled to support the family through his bicycle repair shop. To keep the household running, he borrowed money on interest. Over time, the debt snowballed into a substantial financial burden that the family found impossible to clear.People kept coming to the house demanding repayment, but the family had little means to pay them back.“The family had borrowed money on interest, and creditors kept harassing her father,” Solanki said.When Solanki learnt about the family’s financial condition, he decided to step in.
“When I came to know about it, I told her not to worry about a single rupee. I repaid the money.”He then made a promise to Asmita’s mother that went far beyond the role of a coach.“I have promised her mother that she is like my daughter and I will also perform her kanyadaan,” he said.Solanki also ensured Asmita could continue focusing on judo.“She got a constable’s job in UP Police, but that salary was not enough to manage training, food and support the family. Now she has become a sub-inspector,” he said.
The beginning
Born in Belonia, Tripura, Asmita was initially an 800-metre runner.Solanki first noticed her during the Khelo India Games. When he learnt about her interest in judo, he brought her under his guidance.“The best part is that she is now an international player, and even goes abroad for training, but she is still in touch with her childhood coaches. That’s the quality of this girl,” Solanki signed off.
