‘Bullet’ from Meerut again makes news
It is said there are two things that can bind the people and the nation together – war and sports. Meerut can indisputably be the frontrunner for being the torch-bearer on both the fronts and surprisingly the binding glue in both is the same – the bullet.
The bullet from Meerut is rewriting history from the battlefield to the sports field.
On May 9, 1857, 85 native Indian soldiers were marched to imprisonment from the parade ground in Meerut cantonment.
The offence for which they had been court-martialled was disobedience. The reason behind their punishment after court martial for disobedience was the ‘Bullet’.
The bullets, which were required to be bitten off before loading and firing were rumoured to be greased with pork and beef fat, hurting the cultural and religious sentiments of both Hindus and Muslims. The sepoys refused to fire.
On the next day, a large number of villagers and sepoys turned violent and raised their weapons on the British soldiers and freed their 85 jailed companions from the prison and set off for Delhi.
The First War of Independence had begun. The bullet may have missed its actual target of throwing away the company rule, but it bared the non-invincibility of the British and paved way for another 90 years of struggle for independence and ultimately to India’s successful attainment of independence.
The bullet from Meerut is once again making and breaking news.
A young army of shooters from Meerut and its adjoining areas is making their mark on the world map of sports and bringing medals and laurels for the nation. August 20, 2018 was the momentous day when a 16-year-old boy from Meerut, Saurabh Choudhary, stood on the victory stand with our National Anthem playing in
MEERUT HAS BECOME A FERTILE GROUND FOR SPORTSPERSONS IN SHOOTING AND PRODUCED WORLD CLASS TALENT IN SUBSTANTIVE NUMBERS
the background. He had won gold in a shooting event in Asian Games-2018.
Two days later, another teenager, Shardul Vihan, stood on the victory stand with his silver medal shining bright. Not to forget Ravi Kumar, the bronze medallist, the third lad from Meerut in the shooting event in Asian Games-2018.
The boys next door were now heroes of the nation. Meerut has become a fertile ground for sportspersons in shooting and produced world class talent in substantive numbers.
The current world No 1 in 10 m air pistol, Shahzar Rizvi hails from Meerut.
Shiraz Sheikh, Ahwar Rizvi, Shapath Bhardwaj, the list gets longer. The ‘love for bullets’ is not only amongst youngsters. Chandro Tomar, 86, popularly known as ‘shooter dadi’, holds the record for oldest professional shooter in the world.
If Meerut was the nursery for our struggle for Independence, it has now become a nursery for talent in the sport of shooting.
The bullet from Meerut is on fire again after around 160 years. The passion and romance with the bullet continues unabated in Meerut and adjoining areas.
Not just the shooters, even their coaches and their families have put in everything to produce world class shooters.
From the battlefield to sports field, the cause may have changed, but the echo of the bullet remains the same!