Misti Karmakar: Daughter of Malda’s railway station part-time hawker to compete at Asian U18 Athletics Meet

Add as a preferred source on Google

A part-time hawker Sanjay Karmakar, at the Malda Railway station in West Bengal is excited that her teenage daughter, Misti Karmakar is representing India in javelin throw at the Asian U18 Athletics Championships in Saudi Arabia.

A 25-member Indian youth athletics contingent boarded the flight Sunday night to compete at the continental event scheduled to be held from Tuesday in Dammam.

"We can't believe that she (Misti) is traveling to Saudi Arabia for sports," Misti's father told Mykhel over the phone from Malda before heading to the railway station to earn the family's daily bread.
Even the class tenth student of government school never dreamt of pursuing sports as the family of five, including three teenage children had meagre sources at their disposal and thinking of sports particularly javelin was certainly beyond their means.

It was some three Summers back a former university level sprinter---Asit Paul---who runs an athletics academy on the outskirts of Malda spotted Misti and encouraged her to pursue physical activities after her school. "It was hard to convince Misti's parents as they were clueless about sports. Moreover, they never wanted their daughter to lose track of academics as they wanted her to get a good job," Paul recalled.

Eventually the Karmakar family agreed! Till date Misti has competed in five age group nationals and has a personal best of 45.02m in javelin (girls under-18) recorded at the National Youth Athletics Championships held in March in Patna, Bihar. The Patna competition was a qualification event and Misti's gold medal performance of 45.02m earned her place in the national team. "Paul sir said I can do it. It was a new beginning for me away from school and home with a group of children on the playground," Misti said of her formative days of physical activities. "I started with tennis ball throw and then kids javelin at the NIDJAM (National Inter District Junior Athletics Meet)."

Misti is the second of the three children of the Karmakar family. Misti's elder brother is in class tenth. Her younger sister is in eighth class. While Misti will appear in her board exam in 2026.

The Karmakar family has a house close to Malda's Railway Station. Elderly Karmakar works at odd hours at the railway station-he sells homemade food to passengers and earns his daily bread. Railway station is deeply embedded in the minds of three children, including Misti, because that's the source of financial means for the family and brings happiness. It is a different matter that the daily struggle of the elderly Karmakar isn't enough to send their school going students to the playground. "I just earn Rs 200 to 300 daily and can't think of sending my children to play as we can't afford sports kit," claims Misti's father. My three children are studying in local government schools."

The father also has to tackle local Railway authorities at the station since he doesn't have an official licence to sell meals. "It's challenge and sometimes officials don't allow us to sell meals," the elderly Karmakar said, returning without earning.

Misti had grown up seeing her father struggle to support the family. Last year the 2025 youth national javelin throw champion got an opportunity to join SAI (Sports Authority of India) hostel in Jalpaiguri. Misti agreed to shift her training base as it was important to have better facilities to grow in the sporting world. "At least she will get a good diet and playing equipment at SAI hostel," said Misti's father.

A day before the departure (on Saturday) to Saudi Arabia, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) gave branded playing and general kit to the national youth contingent. Misti was excited, she immediately called her parents back home. "I've got lots of things," she told her father before boarding the flight to make her debut at the international level.