Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, 31, announced her retirement on Tuesday, bringing an end to a groundbreaking career. Karmakar was the first Indian woman to qualify for the Olympics in gymnastics and narrowly missed the bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Games.

She is one of only five women in the world to have mastered the Produnova vault, one of the most difficult moves to master in women gymnastics. Karmakar's Olympic debut in Rio was a historic moment for Indian gymnastics, as she was the first Indian woman to compete in the sport since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

"After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from competitive gymnastics. This is not an easy decision, but it feels like the right time," she said in a statement. "Gymnastics has been at the centre of my life for as long as I can remember, and I am grateful for every moment—the highs, the lows and everything in between."

Despite finishing fourth in the vault final with a score of 15.066, Karmakar missed out on a bronze medal by just 0.15 points to Switzerland's Giulia Steingruber. Her performance in Rio inspired a generation of young Indian gymnasts and solidified her legacy as one of the greatest athletes in the country's history.

Karmakar's career hit a snag in October 2021 when she failed a drug test. The subsequent twenty-one-month suspension seemed to deflate her spirit. But last year, she staged a remarkable comeback, winning gold at the 2024 Asian Championship in Tashkent. The victory, she said, marked a turning point. It was then that she realized she had pushed her body to its limit and needed to reassess her goals.

"My last victory at the Asian Championships was a turning point," said Karmakar. "Because until then I felt I could push my body, but there are times when the body tells you it is time to rest. Even though I am retiring, my connection with gymnastics will remain. I want to give back to the sport – be it as a mentor, coach, or by supporting young girls," she added.

4 Defining Moments of Dipa Karmakar's Career

• Dipa Karmakar became the first Indian to reach the podium at an international event, by winning a gold medal at the FIG Artistic Gymnastic World Challenge Cup in Turkey.
• Performing the much-vaunted Produnova vault at the biggest moment of her career, in the Rio Olympics, remains the most laudable achievement of Karmakar. She is only one of the five women in the world to have successfully completed this move.
• Karmakar was rewarded with Khel Ratna in 2016 for her contribution to gymnastics in the country.
• Karmakar became the first Indian gymnast to win bronze at Commonwealth Game, in 2014.