Delhi: How DU helped script history at Paris

Delhi: The sport of shooting in Delhi University (DU) has come into limelight with Manu Bhaker becoming the first athlete in independent India to clinch two medals (both bronze) in a single edition of Olympic Games, and Ramita Jindal reaching the final of an event in Paris.

Manu was one of the elite shooters who represented India at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in Japan in 2021. She was considered having potential to win a medal in Japan but a malfunction of her weapon spoiled her chances.

However, she looked like a transformed shooter at the ongoing Paris Olympic Games. She maintained a monk-like composure at the 10m indoor facilities at Chateauroux shooting ranges some 150 miles from Paris in France, to win two bronze medals in pistol events.

Manu graduated from the DU’s Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College with BA (Hons) in Political Science in 2022. “She was a very dear student of mine,” says Associate Professor Meenakshi Pahuja, the Head of Physical Education and Sports in the women’s college in south Delhi.

According to Meenakshi, the college has a 10-metre range with four lanes and has dummy pistols and rifles for practice.

However, since the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in Tughlakabad are close to the college, the shooters from the college go there for practice.

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“We have got admit cards of the Karni Singh Ranges made for our students, so they go there for training because they have the international-standard electronic ranges for air weapon and small bore rifle and pistol events. We are only one of three or four colleges in DU to have shooting ranges,” added the teacher, who was a former competitive swimmer.

Meenakshi says that Manu has maintained her relationship with the college.

“Even after graduating, she maintains her relationship. She was admitted through the sports quota. She approached me for admission during a shooting trial,” Meenakshi added.

“She would often turn up to represent the college even after becoming an international shooter. I asked her once to turn up for an inter-college event and she obliged despite her busy schedule.”

“Then, I took her to Manav Rachna University for an inter varsity tournament. Manu won seven gold medals there for DU.”

“She got an Arjuna Award in the first year of college itself, and then in the third year, we gave her a big prize,” added Meenakshi, who taught her physical education in the college.

Hansraj College in North Campus, where Ramita Jindal is completing her graduation in commerce stream, has played a key role in providing young, aspiring shooters a platform to perform. Although the top shooters representing India get high-level training in national camps and through other private initiatives, the college makes it a point to induct aspiring shooters and offers them a platform to hone their skills.

“Every year, we take 8-10 students for shooting through sports quota. We have a 10-lane simple range and a two-lane SIUS electronic range (international standard). The latter is meant to give the shooters exposure for international competitions,” said MP Sharma, Associate Professor (Physical Education) at Hansraj College, Delhi.

The shooting range at Hansraj College, he explains, began in the year 2001. The SIUS electronic range was installed five-six years ago.

Initially, it began from a badminton court before it was set up as a separate unit.

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“Normally, the range is open to students of our college but in case shooters from other neighbouring colleges without shooting facilities want to practice we allow them to come and practice their skills. We just need a letter of request from the Principal of that college,” added Sharma.

Among the neighbouring colleges, St Stephen’s College has a shooting range whereas others lack it. Incidentally, Manu’s coach and former ace International pistol shooter Jaspal Rana was a student of St Stephen’s College.

Hansraj College has been the alma mater of international shooters like Ankur Mittal (shotgun), Ankush Bhardwaj, Shreyasi Singh (shotgun), Sangram Dahiya and Ravi Kumar.