Debasis Mondal

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This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

A biographical sketch

The Times of India, April 20, 2016

There is the story of Debasis Mondal - India's last Olympian gymnast from Bengal who breathed his last during a vault on the mat.

Mondal was one of a six-member Indian gymnastics team at the 1964 Tokyo Games, when he was serving in the army. It was while a servicemen that he had taken up gymnastics. Mondal finished 128th out of 130 competitors with a total score of 54.700. His best result came in vault where he managed a score of 9.00

In 1971, while coaching students of Tarun Bayam Sabgha of Seoraphuli in Hoogly district of West Bengal, Mondal rode a horizontal bar to show them a certain technique. While on the bar, his hand suddenly slipped and his head hit the bar. Mondal immediately became unconscious and was rushed to Kolkata's SSKM hospital. Five days later, doctors pronounced him dead. What was the reason of this accident? Dilip Das, a former gymnast and close friend of Mondal, says this: "Generally no coach can show an event in such a risky manner. There was no security system then. Gymnasts just used to rub some powder in their hands and rode the bar. Debasis's neck was broken."

While today there is celebration of Karmakar's achievement, the family of the late Mondal, residing at Krishnanagar, has no interest in this. This game has snatched almost everything from them. At the time of his death, Mondal left two behind two sons - one aged four and the other just four months old. His father had to take the entire responsibility of the family by what little pension he received. The Railways department gave a job to Mondal's younger brother in the condition to look after the family.

Mondal's eldest, Jayonto, is now 49. He works for the Sports Authority of India but has no interest in sports. When his father died, Jayonto knew little about his Olympics appearance. After Mondal's death, the family turned their heads away from sports.

Karmakar has written a new chapter in Indian gymnastics. Television channels are talking her up ahead of the Rio Games, and social network is buzzing. But nobody can remember the sad story of the last Olympian gymnast of Bengal, Debasis Mondal.