Here’s Why Dipa Will Return Gifted BMW to ‘Original Owner’

Dipa will be returning the car to President of the Hyderabad Badminton Association, its “original owner”.

Sachin Tendulkar had presented Rio Olympics star Dipa Karmakar a BMW. (Photo: IANS)

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar will be returning the BMW car presented to her by Sachin Tendulkar due to ‘maintenance issues’, The Times of India reported. Dipa, who was gifted a BMW for her performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics along with Sakshi Malik and PV Sindhu, will be returning the car to its “original owner”, V Chamundeswaranath, President of the Hyderabad Badminton Association.

Karmakar decided to return the car since the automobile company doesn’t have a service centre in Agartala and also because the city’s narrow roads weren’t suitable for driving a car as large as this one, said the gymnast’s coach Bisweswar Nandi.

Karmakar told IANS:

There is no showroom or service centre of BMW car in Tripura. If the car developed any technical snag during driving, how would I repair this? There are also not sufficient suitable roads in Agartala and other places of the mountainous state to ply the luxury car. 

Dipa, who hails from the state capital of Agartala, said she did not take the decision solely by herself, and the issue was decided collectively by her coach Bisweswar Nandi, parents and other family members.

Nandi, who said that the association had accepted the request to take the car back, also added that they had asked for an amount equivalent to the value of the car, to be transferred to Dipa’s bank account.

We have spoken to the concerned authorities and gladly, they have no problems with it. It was also suggested to them that if possible, they transfer the amount equivalent to the value of the car to Dipa’s bank account. And if not, we will be happy with whatever amount they decide.

Bisweswar Nandi, Dipa’s Coach

Dipa would be returning the car to its “original owner”, said the news report, which probably means that the car had always been under Hyderabad Badminton Association’s president Chamundeswaranath’s name and not Dipa’s. Had the car been under Karamakar’s name, she would have had the option of selling it, instead of just returning it.

Dipa Karmarkar stood fourth in her event at the Rio Olympics. (Photo: Reuters)

Cars to Encourage Sportspersons, Says ‘Original Owner’

Hyderabad District Badminton Association President Chamundeswarinath on Wednesday said that he would have a word with Dipa regarding the difficulties she is facing in handling the vehicle.

We will discuss with her. Whatever Dipa is comfortable with, we will look into it; if not BMW car.

He added:

The idea of gifting cars to the sportspersons was to encourage them to do better.

Rio Olympics medallists PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik and Karmakar, who narrowly missed out on a medal, were gifted with luxury cars by Chamundeswarinath for their achievements in the Rio Olympics.

(With inputs from Times of India, PTI and IANS.)