Former MP Sarbananda Sonowal felicitates Pinky Karmakar at Dibrugarh Airport on Friday. Picture by UB Photos

Jorhat, June 30: Pinky Karmakar, the Dibrugarh schoolgirl who represented India among 20 countries at the Olympic torch relay in Nottinghamshire on Thursday returned home to a hero’s welcome today.

A cavalcade of motorcycles and cars escorted the 17-year-old student of Borborooah Girls’ High School from the airport at Mohanbari to her home in Borborooah tea estate, where a grand ceremony was organised by the local Assam Tea Tribes’ Students’ Association unit at Borborooah puja grounds.

Unicef had selected Pinky as the only representative from India under the organisation’s Sports for Development programme being implemented in Borborooah, Lahowal and Panitola tea estates in Dibrugarh district since 2009. Pinky is actively involved in the programme. She is also associated with programmes that create awareness about child marriage, adult literacy and alcoholism.

Pinky said she loved her experience in London. She was taught a dance and some games. She was also taught how to judge senior sportspersons who will participate in the London Olympics from July 27.

The 20 representatives from different countries were divided into two groups and Pinky’s group of 10 runners carried the torch halfway en route to Derbyroute from Nottingham, while the other group completed the rest of the course.

At the airport, Pinky said the visit taught her that in the UK sports is given as much importance as studies.

“Our country has a long way to go in this regard. Here all the importance is given to studies and none to sports. In the UK you can study as well as develop any other talent you may have, at the same time. In India, too, we should have classes on a daily basis on different sports as subjects,” she said.

Another quality that struck her was equality. “There is no difference between an officer and a driver there,” she said. She also praised the cleanliness of London.

The Dibrugarh BJP unit, represented by former Dibrugarh MP Sarbananda Sonowal, felicitated Pinky at the airport.

Sonowal said they would support Pinky in whatever she did and that she had made Assam proud. Likewise, MLA Jibontara Ghatowar, manager of Barbarooah tea estate Manjit Baruah and ATTSA Dibrugarh district president Lazar Nanda said they would encourage Pinky in whatever she endeavours to do.

A Unicef official who had accompanied Pinky said she has returned a changed girl and had become an inspiration for her community.

“Pinky had her own story to tell coming as she does from India and the tea community and she will have much to do in the future. Her journey of life has now started,” she said.

Pinky is the youngest in a family of five daughters and a son of Rajen and Leela Karmakar who work as sub-staff and tea plucker respectively in Borborooah tea estate, a garden of the Assam Company India Ltd.