- Officials are reviewing her case against government policy.
India’s 23-year-old judoka Asmita Dey recently created history at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow by winning the nation’s first-ever gold medal in judo. Competing in the women’s 48kg category, her extraordinary performance brought immense pride to the nation. However, just days after her historic triumph, a major debate has emerged regarding her eligibility for Uttar Pradesh’s lucrative state cash reward.
While her stellar achievement makes her eligible for a ₹1.5 crore reward under normal circumstances, state domicile regulations have created an administrative hurdle.
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Historic Triumph In The Women’s 48kg Final
Asmita Dey’s journey to the gold medal was marked by determination and grit. In the women’s 48kg final against Canada’s Heidi Quach, Asmita initially found herself on the back foot after conceding an early yuko and taking a penalty. Refusing to yield, she mounted a spirited comeback, attacking with increased intensity to level the scores at 1-1 before regulation time ended. The bout entered a high-stakes Golden Score period, where sudden-death rules applied. Maintaining her composure under intense pressure, Asmita executed a decisive attack to earn another yuko, securing a thrilling victory and placing India on top of the podium.
Core Debate Surrounding Uttar Pradesh State Reward
Despite her landmark success on the international stage, questions have arisen over whether Asmita qualifies for Uttar Pradesh’s official athlete reward scheme, which promises ₹1.5 crore for CWG gold medallists. The debate stems from the conflict between modern sporting careers where athletes frequently relocate or represent different regions for employment and rigid state eligibility rules. Although Asmita has served as a Sub-Inspector in the UP Police since 2023 and represents the state in national competitions, her permanent family roots belong to the state of Tripura.
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Strict Criteria Of The August 2024 Government Policy
The controversy centers on the Uttar Pradesh government order (GO) issued in August 2024, which outlines three mandatory criteria for athletes to receive state financial benefits:
The athlete must be a bonafide domicile of Uttar Pradesh.
The athlete must have studied or enrolled in a recognized college or university in Uttar Pradesh for a minimum of two years.
The athlete must have represented Uttar Pradesh in international sporting events.
While Asmita comfortably satisfies the requirement of representing Uttar Pradesh internationally, her domicile status in Tripura creates a complex legal and policy question regarding the remaining stipulations.
Asmita Dey’s Stellar Track Record Representing Uttar Pradesh
Highlighting her dedicated service to the state, the UP Judo Association Secretary, Munawar Anzar, emphasized that Asmita has consistently represented Uttar Pradesh at the highest levels. Prior to her CWG glory, she bagged a gold medal for UP at the Senior National Judo Championship in Imphal, Manipur. She followed that success with another gold medal at the 38th National Games in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, in February 2025, shortly after securing gold at the Casablanca African Open Championship in Morocco in January 2025.
Official Stance And Ongoing Administrative Review
Addressing the issue, UP Sports Director R.P. Singh stated that the department is currently finalizing the official list of CWG 2026 winners and participants. He assured that recommendations would be made strictly in line with government policy. Meanwhile, UP Sports Secretary Suhas L.Y. affirmed that all eligible sports personalities would receive their due entitlements and that designated authorities will evaluate the case to take a final decision per policy provisions.
