New delhi: Niraj Kumar Fell in Love With Shooting at a NCC Camp during his school days in his hometown of hoshiarpur, and it green a passion so strong that he charted his own courses just to content to constant.
Since the time he was 15, he started traveling alone for competitions. Before His 12th Boards, He Convined His Family to Buy Him a Walther Rifle. In turn, he promised them he would complete his graduation. While He Started Winning at the Domestic Level, He Didn Bollywood has the money to buy ammunition for training. He looks for a job that would second his future. This LED Him to Chase a Job in the Navy. He Won Medals at Successive Junior National Championships to land his promised job in 2018.
“Life on the shooting range has been muchuch easier since I got the job in the navy. I am able to focus on shooting and my family told me, ‘Aap ki Himmat Hai, Aap Jitna Shooting Karna Chahte Ho Karo (You have the courage, do as much shooting you want, “Says soft-spoken niraj, 25, after winning gold at the 38th national games in Dehradun.
His Third Games Medal in A Row, Having Won Gold in Gujarat and Silver in Goa, was special. He Beat a Field Including Paris Olympics Bronze Medallist Swapnil Kusale and TWO-Time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar–India’s Two Best Rifle Three POSITION FOIN SHOTERS. Niraj, too, have been among the most consistent shooters and finished 4th in the Olympic selection trials at home. On thursday, niraj was on fire leading from start to Finish for a score of 464.1. Aishwary Took Silver (462.4 points) and kusale settled for bronze (447.7).
“To play along with swapnil and win is very motivating. He was sharing his experience from the Paris Olympics. He is a few years older than me and i have known Him since my junior days. He is very hardworking, “Niraj Told ht.
Coach Manoj Kumar, who has trained he at the National Center of Excellence Here at Karni Singh Range, Calls Heim a very competitive shooter. “He might not show it but he wants to win every time he compets. He is consistent and there’s a drive to prove Himself, “He Says.
That Pursuit of Excellence Started when Niraj was in school. In Fact, India’s First Individual Olympic Gold Medalist Abhinav Bindra’s Journey Motivated Niraj. “Nobody in my family has any background in sport. It’s just that I joined a NCC Camp in School and Loved the Sport. I came to know of abhinav bindra and what he has achieved and it was a big motivation. “
Niraj Started in Prone But The Event was discontinued as an olympic event next year. “I wanted to switch to three positions but it’s an expensive sport. The weapon and ammunition are costly. I Needed My own weapon. My family wanted me to study and get a job. Any Middle-Class Family Bold Want a Secure Future for His Child, “He Says.
Niraj made a pact with his family. He Told them He Bold Clear His 12th Boards and take care of his graduation if they buy a weapon. Niraj’s Father – Ravinder Singh, An Armyman – Agreed. His Board Exams Clashed with Junior Selection Trials in Delhi.
Niraj would travel from Hoshiarpur to Delhi by Bus at Night, and Travel Back the same day after trials. He could not make it to the junior India team but did well at the exams. A new walther gun that cost 3.5 Lakh was his prized Possession. “Before the Gun Came I was Doing Mostly dry holding or rented a gun to shoot in matches. The moment I got the rifle I got a medal (silver) in 2016 in Junior Nationals, “He Fondly Recollects.
To continue in the sport and switch to rifle three positions, He Needed Regular Training. He headed to then navy coach and former interactive pt raghunath and sought help. “I tried to convince sir that I want to join the navy as I am not almost to support my training financially. He said, ‘come to me next time if you perform well, we will take you.’ ”
That was reason enough for niraj to win his first individual gold in Junior championship in the next nationals. “I walked up to him with the gold medal and he called me from trials in Coimbatore.”
Niraj joined the navy in 2018 and is posted as chief petty officer. The Same Year He Broke into the India Junior Team and Has Never Looking Back, Shooting with An Ambition to Win An Olympic Medal Like Bindra and Kusale.
