Suruchi Singh’s gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ongoing Asian Games has brought immense joy to her family in Jhajjar, with her mother Sudesh recalling the unusual journey that took the shooter from wrestling plans to competitive pistol shooting.
India began Friday with two shooting medals after a quiet spell in some medal events. Suruchi and Kamaljeet won the country’s second gold of the competition, while Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Tomar and Niraj Kumar secured silver in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event.
Suruchi and Kamaljeet registered 484.6 points in the final to finish ahead of South Korea, which took silver with 478.0 points. Iran won bronze with 415.8 points, while Indonesia was eliminated after scoring 349.4 points.
The Indian pair also bettered the Asian record of 481.3 points set by Uzbekistan earlier this year at the Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi.
Sudesh said the family was overwhelmed by the victory and praised her daughter’s sustained effort. She said Suruchi had worked exceptionally hard and that the entire family was celebrating the achievement with great happiness.
The shooter is expected to receive a traditional welcome when she returns home, with drums planned at the airport and sweets to be distributed among those celebrating her success.
For the homecoming meal, Sudesh said Suruchi would be served dal churma and homemade pure desi ghee. The family keeps cows, she added, and Suruchi particularly prefers the ghee prepared at home.
Sudesh also explained that the family had initially hoped Suruchi would take up wrestling. However, a collarbone injury prevented her from pursuing the sport, after which she moved into shooting despite remaining determined to build a career in athletics.
Suruchi’s father left his army job to support both her and her younger brother as they took up shooting. Sudesh said the siblings now compete in the sport and have performed well.
Describing her daughter’s discipline, Sudesh said Suruchi trained from morning until evening and continued working hard despite the difficulties faced by both the family and the young athlete.
She recalled Suruchi telling her father to put her into a sport and help her become a player. That request, she said, led to her father enrolling both children in shooting.
Sudesh added that she had spoken briefly with Suruchi after the medal win. The conversation lasted a minute or two, and the shooter was very happy, she said.
Follow us
