Mamata Banerjee congratulates Swapna Barman for winning Asiad gold

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today congratulated heptathlete Swapna Barman for winning gold in the Asian Games held at Jakarta.

"Heartiest congratulations to @Swapna_Barman96 our heptathlon queen from India and Bangla, on winning the gold at the Asian Games. You have made us very proud," Banerjee tweeted.

Swapna today created history by becoming the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold, a feat she achieved despite competing with a toothache.

Swapna, who hails from Ghoshpara Colony in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, had to fight all odds including acute poverty.

The people of the district and her neighbours in particular, were elated on her achievement.

Her mother worked as a labourer in small tea gardens while her father was a rickshaw puller and is now bedridden.