Bull’s eye

Manpriya Singh 

Shooting is not a girl cliché, while shopping is! Well, for these young girls, that’s where the thrill of pursuing the sport of shooting lies — the joy of a shot well-fired and pleasure of a myth broken.  Meet some girls from the region who can throw in rifle, shotgun and pistol with effortless ease into the conversation (and even practice) as much as manicures, bags and shopping! 

Balancing act

Ganemat Sekhon 

Even though shooting had been in the family since the previous two generations, 17-year-old Ganemat Sekhon credits her cousin for motivating her. “At the age of 14, I tried the sport and really liked it,” she beams, before elaborating how she did pretty well during her first trials. 

It didn’t take long before she got into the Indian team and represented the country for her first ever International tournament in Germany. Moving on, “I ranked first in junior tournament in 2017 in India.” She is already preparing for the trials for the Commonwealth games scheduled next month. Balancing at least six hours of shooting practice everyday with Class 11 studies is quite a task. “I also have to travel all the way to Patiala for the shooting range.” But the perseverance is all worth it, not just for the passion for the sport, but the incredulous looks and encouraging remarks she receives from those around. 

“When anybody mentions shooting, half the time people think it must be a film shoot or something.” She adds laughingly, “Then their first reaction is ‘How do you hold it?’  Or if a new boy is being introduced to shooting, the parents give my example to the boy and tease him, “Look even she can shoot’.”  Yes, girls can shoot and how! 

Royal affair

Shubhdayini R Jandev 

Despite being down with a foot fracture, 17-year-old Shubhdayini Rajyalaxmi Jandev still returned from the recently held 61st NSCC games (held by National Rifle Association of India) at Trivandrum, Kerala, with a silver medal. 

An heiress of the erstwhile state of Balson, Shimla Hills, the Class 12 student shifted to Chandigarh to take her passion forward. “From 2013 when I was in grade 8 and till date I have won 25 medals at various state and district levels championships,” she beams before admitting to being absolutely in love with her Walther Anatomic rifle.  “Unlike other clichéd associations with the sport, like aggression and masculinity; what I like about shooting is the fact that it trains you mentally.” 

She adds, “One needs to be calm, focused and patient before one can shoot well, and then of course one needs to be physically strong for one shot after the other.” 

Shoot on

Raiza Dhillon 

Even though ‘fun’ shooting started at a young age of 10, 13-year-old Raiza Dhillon took up the sport seriously only last October. The first Tricity tournament, held recently, brought in first position in under-14, and second in under-17. Soon it was June and time to represent her district in a tournament held in Panchkula. “I stood first in under-15 category,” she beams, finally happy to have qualified for the nationals and playing a national tournament in Trivandrum, Kerala, at the time. 

“I played all types of sport before and shooting culture being in the family since my grandfather’s time, I took to it naturally. What I like about the sport is that it is very different.” Even though it fetches her a lot of surprised looks in school! “A lot of them are taken aback,” she laughs. “But it’s a tough sport to pursue. One needs a lot of eye and hand co-ordination, and strength to shoot 40 shots at a time,” she adds, having been to Pune thrice to train professionally. She wishes Panjab University had an electronic range. “It’s a decent range, but I wish it was electronic.” Next up are district level tournaments again in July. 

Know the Panjab University shooting range 

There is a very heart-warming observation that Mandeep Kumar, the attendant at PU shooting range, shares, “Before any major tournament and after the exams, this range is full. And there are more girls than boys!” There are as many as 40 machines at the manual shooting range for which the charges are a nominal Rs 300 per month for current students of the university. “While for the outsiders and school students it is Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 a month, respectively, the degree holders of PU need shell out only Rs 500 to practice at the range.”

Rifle love  

Shivangi Dogra 

It is heart-warming to know how 20-year-old Shivangi Dogra, born and brought up in Shimla, took up shooting. “In 2015, India did well at the Commonwealth Games and that’s when my father got inspired and encouraged me to take up shooting.” Even though her father found the pistol more fascinating, she found her calling in 10-metre air rifle. State level tournaments in 2015, 2016 and 2017 followed. 

“I participated in All India Digvijay Memorial Tournament and won gold in junior category,” she adds of the recent tournament played in November. Next are selection trials that start mid-January. “They will entitle me to participate in international tournaments,” she beams. A student of GCG—11, she adds. “Whenever I go to a range carrying the gun, a lot of time there are these surprising looks…‘can she do it’…there is always this disbelief till you prove yourself.”   

manpriya@tribunemail.com