Shooting for the stars: Farmer’s son, 15, India’s new golden gun
ASIAD SILVER 37yearold Arjuna awardee shooter takes the second position on the podium in the men’s 50m rifle event in the ongoing games in Indonesia
PALEMBANG/NEWDELHI: Still not 16, Saurabh Chaudhary became an Asian shooting star when he won the 10m air pistol gold at the 18th Asian Games, his first senior international event, beating a multiple Olympic gold medallist. Abhishek Verma made it 1-3 for India, bagging the bronze in the same event.
Showing no sign of nerves, Chaudhary ’s record score of 240.7 quelled the challenge of, among others, South Korea’s redoubtable Jin Jong-oh, who has four Olympic golds, is a three-time world champion, and has three Asian Games gold.
At 15 years and nine months, Chaudhary is the youngest Indian gold medallist in Asian Games history. The record previously belonged to Jaspal Rana, who was 18 years and four months old when he won gold in the 25m centrefire pistol event in Hiroshima in 1994.
Chaudhary is an unlikely hero at several levels. His journey started with a borrowed weapon in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, and perhaps with an eye on a job in the Indian Army. That is what many in that region aspired for and the son of a homemaker mother and a father who tilled a small patch of land in the Kalina village in Meerut district was no different. That was in 2014.
“Since there were two weapons at the range, shooters had to wait for their turn,” said Amit Sheoran, a former state shooter, who started his own range in 2011 to make a living, trying to exploit the spike in interest in shooting following Abhinav Bindra’s Olympic gold in 2008.
Chaudhary was introduced to shooting by his father Jagmohan Singh; his first ‘weapon’ was a dummy pistol made of cast iron. “He made rapid progress,” said Sheoran. On Tuesday, Chaudhary shot with a top-end Morini pistol worth over Rs 1 lakh bought by his father. “It was tough, but we managed somehow,” said Chaudhary’s brother Nitin.
Maybe all this explains why Chaudhary was so reticent in his hour of glory. Even as the range erupted in celebrations, Chaudhary packed his gun and equipment and headed to the rest room. “I played without pressure,” he said simply.
“It’s been an hour-and-a-half since my competition ended but still I haven’t been able to speak to my parents. We have a landline at home, so I’ll call them once I’m through with the ceremony,” he said.
Even during the presentation ceremony, Chaudhary looked stoic as the Indian tricolour went up.
HE HAD CREATED A COMMONWEALTH GAMES RECORD AND WON GOLD MEDAL IN APRIL THIS YEAR
YAMUNANAGAR: Celebrations broke out on Tuesday at the home of Sanjeev Rajput, who has won silver medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event in the Asian Games in Indonesia.
Relatives and local residents thronged Rajput’s house in Jagadhri town of Yamunanagar district to congratulate his father KL Rajput and mother Usha Rani. Sweets were being distributed to the visitors amid exchange of greetings.
Talking to HT, Sanjeev’s father said, “We are proud of our son and are very happy over his achievement. Once again, he has brought laurels not only to Yamunanagar and Haryana but to the entire country.” His father, who was a earlier street food vendor, now lives a retired life.
He added, “We appreciate the efforts of the Haryana government for promoting sports in the state and encouraging youths to join sports.”
Rajput was born on January 5, 1981 at Jagadhri. He studied at the SD Public School, Jagadhri. At the age of 18, he joined the Indian Navy as a sailor and also started shooting practice.
His family members said Rajput retired from the Indian Navy about three years ago and bought a house in Faridabad to continue his shooting practice at Delhi as there was no shooting range in Haryana.
His younger brother Manoj runs a jewellery shop in Yamunangar and his elder sister Lalita is married.
The 37-year-old Arjuna awardee had created a Commonwealth Games record and won gold medal in the same category in Australia in April this year.
In 2014, Sanjeev won a silver medal in Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Arjuna award was conferred on him in August 2010.