Lucknow: “My mindset was simple. I believed I was the best in the 48kg category today, and I had to win the gold for my country,” said 23-year-old UP Police sub-inspector Asmita Dey after winning India’s first-ever judo gold in Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday.Speaking to reporters after her victory, an emotional Asmita, who hailed from Tripura, credited the UP Police and chief minister Yogi Adityanath for supporting her sporting career.“I had to win the gold for everyone who believed in me. I also want to thank chief minister Yogi Adityanath for giving me an opportunity to serve in the UP Police. The support I received from the department made it possible for me to compete at this level and win this gold medal,” she said.“My father always stood by me. He passed away in December 2025, and after that, I felt like everything was over. But two months later, there were trials for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. I got selected, and today I have won a medal — it feels like everything has come back. This medal was very important for my state and for the police department,” she said.Asmita’s coach, Deepak Tyagi, an international judoka himself, hailed her resilience and fighting spirit. “I have been training Asmita since she joined the Uttar Pradesh Police under the sports quota in 2023. She has a never-say-die attitude. Even after twisting her ankle during the competition, she refused to give up and fought her way to the gold medal,” Tyagi told TOI.In an earlier interview with TOI, Asmita had spoken about her humble beginnings. “My father was a bicycle mechanic. I joined the police force to serve the nation, but the Uttar Pradesh Police also gave me the platform to pursue my Olympic dream. Every medal I win is a salute to both the Tricolour and the police uniform,” she had said.Congratulating the young officer, DGP Rajeev Krishna said Asmita’s achievement reflected the values of discipline, perseverance and excellence that define both elite sport and policing.“SI Asmita Dey’s historic Commonwealth Games gold is a matter of immense pride for the UP Police, the state and the entire nation. Her achievement embodies the values of discipline, perseverance and excellence that define both a champion athlete and a police officer. It also reflects the vision of CM Yogi Adityanath, who has consistently encouraged sporting talent by creating opportunities for outstanding athletes to join the UP Police through the sports quota,” the DGP said.IG of PAC Central Zone and secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Police Sports Control Board, Preetinder Singh, said the department had ensured that Asmita received every possible logistical and training support. “We provided her with sports kits, shoes, nutritional supplements and every facility required for international competition. This year, two Uttar Pradesh Police athletes represented India at the Commonwealth Games — SI Asmita Dey in judo and DSP Parul Chaudhary in athletics,” he said.UP Judo Association secretary, Munawar Anzar said, “It’s a matter of immense pride for the UP Judo Association and Judo Federation of India. Earlier, UP’s Akram Shah had secured a silver medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.”Under Uttar Pradesh’s sports policy, which provides out-of-turn direct gazetted government jobs to outstanding international medal-winning athletes, Asmita is now in line to become a DSP, joining the ranks of athletes like Parul Chaudhary, Lalit Upadhyay and Raj Kumar Pal.Who is Asmita Dey?Asmita Dey, 23, hailing from Belonia in South Tripura, began her sporting journey as an 800-metre runner before switching to judo after impressing at a district-level trial—a decision that transformed her career.Recognising her talent, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) inducted her into its elite training programme and later included her in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Development Group. She trains at the SAI Regional Centre, Bhopal, under veteran coach Yashpal Solanki.Asmita rose to prominence by winning gold at the 2023 Junior Asia Cup in Macau, followed by a silver at the 2023 Asian Open in Kuwait and gold at the 2025 Casablanca African Open in Morocco. In 2026, she finished fifth at the Asian Senior Championships before scripting history by winning India’s first Commonwealth Games judo gold. She joined the UP Police under the Outstanding Sportsperson Quota in 2023 and was promoted to SI’s post in 2026.
