KOZHIKODE: The pride was palpable at a modest home in Thiruvambady on Sunday as family, relatives, and neighbours gathered to celebrate shooter Vidarsa K Vinod’s moment of history. For Vinod Kochalungkal and Anitha Vinod, the silver medal won by their daughter Vidarsa at Asian Games was not merely a sporting achievement -- it was the culmination of years of sacrifice, financial hardship, and unwavering belief in her dream.
The 27-year-old from Thambalamanna, Thiruvambady, has become the first Malayali to win an Asian Games shooting medal, after helping India secure silver in the 10m air rifle team event in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. It was also Vidarsa’s first appearance at the continental games.
As the news of her achievement reached her hometown, celebrations broke out at the family residence. Relatives and neighbours arrived to share the joy, while public representatives, including Minister T Siddique and Thiruvambady MLA C K Kasim, visited the family and congratulated them.
Speaking to TNIE through a video call, Vidarsa said the receiving the medal was a deeply emotional moment. “I am delighted to have won a medal in my first Asian Games. The support I received from my family and my coach has played a huge role in bringing me to this stage,” she said.
Vidarsa grew up in an ordinary family in Thambalamanna. Her parents had to overcome considerable financial difficulties to support her ambitions in shooting. A rifle, shooting jacket, shoes, and other equipment together cost the family around `10 lakh, while the expenses for training and travelling added to the burden.
“Today is one of the proudest moments of our lives. We had to face many difficulties to support Vidarsa’s training, but we never wanted financial problems to stand in the way of her dream. We even had to sell our house and property and take loans for her equipment and training. Seeing her win a medal for India makes every sacrifice worthwhile.
As parents, we are extremely happy and proud of her.,” Vinod said. That sacrifice has now found its reward on one of Asia’s biggest sporting stages. Vidarsha’s husband, Manu S Ravi, belonging to Aryanad in Thiruvananthapuram, is also associated with the shooting field and has been a strong source of support. Her younger brother Vishnu is pursuing an MBA.
Her journey to Asian Games did not begin with a childhood dream of becoming an elite shooter. As a student of Sacred Heart UP School and later the higher secondary school in Thiruvambady, she was active in arts, participating in dance and singing competitions up to the district level. Sporting success, however, remained elusive. The turning point came when she joined the National Cadet Corps (NCC) while pursuing a BA in sociology at Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikode.
It was through NCC that Vidarsha discovered shooting and began developing confidence in her ability with a rifle. What started as an opportunity to try a new discipline gradually became a serious sporting career. She began her shooting journey at the Kozhikode Rifle Club before undergoing intensive training at the centres in Thiruvananthapuram and Bhopal, among other locations.
The silver medal may have brought the first celebration, but Vidarsa’s Asian Games campaign is far from over. Her strongest event is the 50m rifle, in which she is scheduled to compete on September 26. Meanwhile, the Keralam government has assured Vidarsa full support and indicated that a government job would be offered to her in recognition of her achievement.