ITANAGAR, 11 Feb: National Games medallist Devi Dadda was given a rousing welcome by the Dadda Welfare Society (DWS) at the Hollongi airport when she returned from Uttarakhand after participating in the Games on Tuesday.
Hailing from Tabri Dadda village in East Kameng district, Dadda has become the first kayaker from Arunachal Pradesh to win a bronze medal at a national-level competition. She achieved this feat at the ongoing 38th National Games.
Speaking to the media, Dadda expressed her Olympic aspirations, acknowledging the challenges of her sport and the need for further training and resources.
She said that kayaking is a very new sport in Arunachal. “However, we have huge opportunities as our people are accustomed to turbulent water sources. The only concern is the training and expenses for the equipment,” she said.
She encouraged the youths, especially women, to participate in sports.
Dadda expressed deep gratitude to Vijay Sonam for his motivation and financial support.
She also acknowledged the continued support of the DWS, her family, well-wishers, the state government, sports organisations, and the Arunachal Olympic Association (AOA).
The state’s chef de mission for the ongoing National Games, Abraham K Techi, praised Dadda’s potential, saying that she has a lot of potential and can bring laurels to the state.
“With support and training, she can also represent the state in the Olympics,” he said.
Techi highlighted the challenges Dadda has overcome, coming from a humble background, and emphasised the need for continued support to cover training costs and equipment.
He appealed to the DWS and the public for their support, while acknowledging the AOA’s ongoing contributions.
Fedang Dadda, general secretary of the DWS, echoed the pride of the community, calling Dadda’s achievement a significant milestone for the state.
He thanked the state government, the sports department, and everyone involved in her success.
