Rio de Janeiro: The sports ministry seems to have woken up suddenly after Dipa Karmakar reached the vault final in artistic gymnastics at the Rio Olympics.

After the Tripura girl qualified for the Olympics four months ago, Dipa and her coach Bishweshwar Nandi requested the ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to attach a special physiotherapist with the gymnast, who could also travel to Rio.

Though the SAI approved the trip, the physiotherapist did not accompany the Indian contingent for reasons best known to him and the gymnast had to depend on the one attached with the Indian contingent.

However, on Monday, the ministry worked on a war footing to get Sajad Ahmad Mir, Dipa's long time physio, on the first available flight to Rio.

The sports minister, Vijay Goel, who is currently in Rio, has also directed the ministry to do everything to help Dipa win a medal for India in gymnastics.

According to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sources, the ministry decision came after Dipa and her coach insisted that the presence of the physio would help the gymnast in the final to be held on August 14 afternoon here.

"We support the decision of the ministry to send the physio. Dipa has turned out to be a medal contender and she should be given all support," he said.

However, requests by some other athletes to have their own coaches and physiotherapists were turned down by the ministry and the SAI.