Key Highlights
- First Indian woman to clinch gold in the 400m at the IAAF World U20 Championships.
- Set a national record of 50.79 seconds in the 400m at the 2018 Asian Games.
- Earned the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2018 and became a UNICEF Youth Ambassador.
- Appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police in Assam through the Integrated Sport Policy.
Detailed Insights
Born on 9 February 2000 in Kandhulimari, a village near Dhing, Assam, Hima Das grew up in a farming family. She initially pursued football at Dhing Public High School but was steered toward sprinting by a physical‑education teacher. Her breakthrough came in 2018 when she captured gold in the 400m at the World U20 Championships with a time of 51.46 seconds, marking a historic first for India.
Later that year, she shattered the Indian 400m record twice at the Asian Games, first with 51.00 seconds in the heats and then with 50.79 seconds in the final, earning a silver medal. She also contributed to India’s gold in the mixed 4×400m relay and silver in the women’s relay. In 2019, she added two more golds in the 200m at the Poznan Grand Prix (Poland) and the Czech Republic.
Beyond the track, Hima completed her 12th board exams in 2019 and is pursuing a B.A. at Cotton University. Her appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Police in 2021 showcases the intersection of sports excellence and public service under Assam’s Integrated Sport Policy.
Key Concepts
- IAAF World U20 Championships – A global track and field competition for athletes under 20, organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations.
- National Record – The fastest time or best performance recorded by an athlete from a particular country in a specific event.
- Mixed Relay – A relay race featuring teams composed of both male and female athletes.
- Arjuna Award – India’s highest sporting honour awarded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for outstanding performance.
- Integrated Sport Policy – A state‑level framework that facilitates direct entry of athletes into government roles, such as police or railways.