THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hearing Jammu and Kashmir as a regular mention during the national shooting championship medal ceremony feels like a whiff of fresh air.
It’s not that the state hasn’t produced quality shooters. Chain Singh, an Asian Games medallist and the first Olympian from the state, was a real talent. But there weren’t many to take over the baton from him.
However, at the shooting range in the city, the name of the strife-torn state came up seven times. Twenty-year-old Shreya Saksena won five gold and two silver to make her Kerala sojourn a memorable one.
Touted as a rising star, Shreya no longer stays in J&K. Her father Anurag Saksena — an army colonel — has been transferred out of the region. Shreya, still competes for the Himalayan state, partly out of love for the place where she started shooting, and partly out of the chivalry code that ‘cantonment kids’ have to respect.
This, despite facing financial handicaps as J&K doesn’t believe in supporting shooters for reasons better known to them.
If Shreya had obtained a Non Objection Certificate to represent Haryana — she resides in Faridabad — she would have been richer by `30 lakhs (Haryana awards `5 lakh for gold and `2.5 lakh for silver). But she chose not to do so.
“It would have been nice to get that much money. It could’ve gone into equipment and her training. But we are not that bothered, and are spending our money,” said Anurag.
He said that investing in his daughter’s profession of choice was the best thing he could do. “I could’ve bought a stylish car or sprawling bungalow. But I’d rather that she make a name.”
However, shooting was not the first sport that Shreya has tried. She has also been a national-level basketball player. But she found shooting to be more interesting, and eventually directed her focus on it. “Too much impact on the wrists caused them to tremble while holding a gun. So I bid goodbye to basketball,” Shreya said.
That switch came good for the 20-year-old as she went on to win bronze in the 10m air rifle team event at the recent Asian Air Rifle Championship. In Thiruvananthapuram, both her silver came in the senior category, while gold came in youth and junior.
The silver medals were a sign that her transition to the next level was happening smoothly. Former national shooting coach Sunny Thomas said that the rise of youngsters, including Shreya, augurs well for the country. Junior shooting has always been our Achilles Heel. These youngsters have shown us that the criticism was wrong. They are surely going to be assets for the country.”
Shreya’s mother Sumita, who is a trained singer in Hindustani music and is working with All India Radio, is also assisting the J&K team as their manager. The state association hasn’t bothered to sent one.
Anurag felt that J&K need to handle the sport better. “They should have done proper work to bring youngsters into the fold. But they failed to do that.”
shan.as@newindianexpress.com