Winning an Olympic medal is the proudest moment

2004 Athens Olympics silver medallist Ilot took up shooting rather late in life, at age 2■, when a

of sportspersons had actually ended their sports careers. Guns have always been a part of my life as a soldier and it was in the Indian Army that I got a chance to take up shooting as a sport. Like in the Army, being a shooter gave me a chance to serve my nation, and that is the best thing that the sport has given me. Winning an Olympic medal is the proudest moment for any sportsperson, and for me, the pride was that I could do this for my country — bring the first ever individual silver medal for India in Olympics.

I remember Sportstar very fondly. It is one of the most prestigious sports magazines in the country and as an athlete it was always a honour to be featured in it. I credit them for constantly covering emerging athletes and sport disciplines that are not always in the limelight. That is a sign of a publication which is committed to giving a 360 degree view of sports news in the country.