Dipa Karmakar is a rare gem that has taken the gymnastic world by surprise and finally brought media coverage to a fascinating sport that is sadly under-represented in India. While the media is going gaga over Dipa’s beautiful rendering of the tough Produnova (also called the vault of death), Dipa is a pioneer in many ways. Not only is she one of only five women in the world to have mastered the Produnova successfully she is also the only Indian woman to qualify for the Olympic Games ever. She is also the first Indian gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 52 years!
Dipa’s journey is fascinating yet nowhere easy. A lack of a proper federation to support gymnasts in India already places her at a disadvantage against her international contemporaries. There is a lack of support from the right quarters and funding is sparse.
In many ways, this is the story of the struggle of every startup that breaks away from the mainstream to choose its path.
Yet Dipa has not only qualified for the Rio Olympics she has also steadily added many feathers to her cap.
So here are 5 Things Startups Can Learn From Dipa Karmakar –
1. Value Good Mentoring and Never Forget it
Dipa Karmakar has acknowledged time and again the contribution her coach, veteran Bibeshwar Nandi, has had in her success. From helping her fight flat feet as a kid to urging her to stretch her limits, he has mentored and guided her towards the right direction. By being a willing student, Dipa has succeeded in doing what few have been able to do before her. Having a good mentor is important to pick us up when we don’t know where we are going and encourage us when we are going strong is invaluable in any venture.
2. You may win or lose a Battle: But Winning the War is all that matters
Dipa finished fourth at the 2014 Asian Games but remained unfazed about it. In fact, when she was asked about the same she pointed out that the gold and silver winners were the top two gymnasts at the Olympics while the bronze winner was a World Championship winner as well. Therefore, she was happy that she had been able to give the cream of the crop among international gymnasts a hard and bitter fight.
As entrepreneurs, there are pitches you often lose to others. Instead of letting that affect you, it is important to detach from the winning-losing game and savour how you came to fight the big league on your own in the first place. The harder the fight, the more you learn.
3. Know your Competition
As is evident from the above point, Dipa is keenly aware of her competition, and she takes it one step at a time. Never lose sight of the competition is the mantra.
4. There is no shortcut to the big league
There is none. Even if your startup is born with a silver spoon nothing will be retained unless you pump in the hard work necessary. You may have heard of Dipa NOW, but she has been training since she was six!
She is a gold medalist at the 2011 National Games, a bronze medalist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, finished fourth at the 2014 Asian Games and won another bronze at the 2015 Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships. And you have heard about her only NOW! That’s how hard the road to success is!
5. Customer Or Product Generated Money is essential over only just Investor Money – Without risks nothing is possible!
A Produnova in vaulting is when you do a double vault and land on your feet. It is such a dangerous move that it is called the vault of death because you can snap your spine if the landing is not right. Only five other gymnasts in the world can do/have done a Produnova and Dipa Karmakar is one among them.
She started training for the Produnova only months before the qualifying tournament and managed to nail it. Today she has the financial backing of the government (Rs. 30 lakhs) that few Indian gymnasts can hope. Had she not taken the risk she would not have been where she is today.
This fact holds true for start-ups as well as for all who want to do something different in life. Unless you can calculate your risks and take a shot at them, recognition and success will only be a pipe dream. As entrepreneurs, there are pitches you often lose to others. Instead of letting that affect you, it is important to detach from the winning-losing game and savour how you came to fight the big league on your own in the first place. The harder the fight, the more you learn.
