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Indian heptathlete Swapna Barman's mother will finally get to see her daughter after her historic gold medal winning feat at the Asian Games in Jakarta on Wednesday, 30 August.
Belonging to Rajbbongshi tribe in North Bengal, Swapna's mother would work as a maid and also pluck leaves in tea gardens, while her father Panchanan Barman pulled van rickshaw till he got bedridden following a stroke seven years ago.
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Born with six toes on each foot, Swapna is stubborn from childhood, said secretary of Jalpaiguri District Athletics Association Ujjal Das Chowdhury, who has followed Swapna's career from close quarters.
Battling a back injury that requires her to take an injection under Dr Anant Joshi in Mumbai every month, Swapna had last visited her home after her Asian Athletics win in Bhubaneswar last year.
A staunch devotee of Goddess Kali, she spent almost all her prize money in building a Kali temple outside her house, Chowdhury told PTI from Jalpaiguri.
Swapna had won the Asian Athletics gold with her previous personal best effort of 5942 points, till she joined the 6000-club today en route to a dream Asiad gold.
The moment the news spread after Swapna clinched the gold with a personal best of 6026 points, hundreds flocked to her two-room tinned-house celebrating Swapna's success as her mother offered prayers in the Kali temple.
Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated Swapna through her official Twitter handle.
"Heartiest congratulations to @Swapna_Barman96 our heptathlon queen from India and Bangla, on winning the gold at the Asian Games. You have made us very proud," she tweeted.
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