This story is from July 16, 2018

Indians in Finland join hands to award Hima Das Rs 1 lakh

A day before Assam govt announced a cash prize for country's new track star Hima Das, a group of Indians living in Finland had made up their mind to drive over the weekend from Helsinki to Tampere to surprise the sprint queen.
Indians in Finland join hands to award Hima Das Rs 1 lakh
(TOI Photo)
NEW DELHI: A day before the state government of Assam announced a cash prize for country's new track star Hima Das, a group of Indians living in Finland had made up their mind to drive over the weekend from Helsinki to Tampere - the venue of IAAF World Under-20 Championships - to surprise the sprint queen.
The 18-year-old from Dhing in Assam had scripted history to inspire new hope in Indian athletics. On Thursday last week, Das, daughter of a farmer, clinched the 400m gold in Tampere clocking 51.46 seconds - thus becoming the first track athlete from the country to win a gold medal at the world level.
Around 200 km away from the venue in Tampere, members of the Punjab Cultural Society and Punjab Sports Club in Helsinki were moved by the teenager's monumental effort and frantically exchanging messages on their Whatsapp group.

"Let's do something for her," Vicky Moga, who runs the Warriors Hockey Club in Helsinki, initiated the chat.
"Within 10 to 15 minutes, we raised 900 euros and soon touched our target of Rs 1,00,000 (1250 euros approximately)," he told TOI Sports from Finland.
"We wanted to honour Hima (Das) as her fellow Indians, also because she achieved this gold medal here in Finland, which is our home now," Vicky added.
Upon reaching Tampere Sunday afternoon, the group sought an appointment with Das and the legendary PT Usha, who was also in Finland as part of the coaching staff.

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The group then pleasantly surprised Das with the announcement of Rs 1 lakh award, which they will deposit directly to her bank account.
"We want to ensure that this amount reaches directly to her, so we have decided that we will transfer it to her personal bank account," said Vicky.
They then felicitated Das and Usha with mementos, which were presented by the youngest player of the Warriors Hockey Club.
"This is so overwhelming," Das said after the felicitation.
But the honour didn't stop there. The group then treated Das, Usha and other coaches to delicacies at an Indian restaurant in Tampere.
The record-breaking quarter-miler was also part of the 4x400m relay team in Tampere, comprising S Venkatesan, Jisna Mathew and Ritika besides Das herself. However, despite creating a new junior national record with a timing of 3:39.10, the quartet failed to qualify for the final finishing fourth in heats.
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