Poor roads force Dipa Karmarkar to return Sachin's BMW!

Sachin Tendulkar gifted Dipa, PV Sindhu and Sakshi Mallik a BMW each for their good show at Rio 2016. Artistic Gymnast Dipa missed a Rio medal by a whisker. The BMW owners are expected to transfer the amount equivalent to the value of the car to Dipa.  

The 24-year-old artistic gymnast has decided to return the car to the original owner, V Chamundeswaranath, president of the Hyderabad Badminton Association.

Thanks to poor roads in Agartala, Dipa has been facing issues in the maintenance of the posh car. While the roads are pretty narrow and not well-maintained, there is no BMW service centre in the city. 

Dipa, whose next assignment, the Challengers' Cup in Germany is a month away, has been advised not to bear the maintenance cost and juts focus on her practice.  

Her coach, Bisheswar Nandi, however, has revealed returning the car was not Dipa's decision, but it was a collective call taken together by him and Dipa's parents. 

"It wasn't Dipa's decision. Rather it was a collective decision taken by her family and me. There are two main reasons behind it. First, there is no BMW service centre in Agartala and secondly, the roads are not suitable to drive a posh car such as this," he told Times of India.

Nandi has already spoken to the Hyderabad Badminton Association, and they have accepted their request. 

"We have spoken to the concerned authority, and gladly, they have no problems with it. It was also suggested to them that if possible, they transfer the amount equivalent to the value of the car to Dipa's bank account. And if not, we will be happy with whatever amount they decide," he added.