City girl Namritha Saravana recently brought back three medals from the National Pistol Shooting Championship, 2016. The event held in Pune from December 12 to 26, saw participation by shooters from all over the country in several categories. Namritha won two bronze and one silver medal.
When she was a student at the Vivekalya Matriculation and Higher Secondary School, Namritha attended a camp conducted by the Kovai Rifle Club. “That is where I picked up rifle shooting as a hobby,” she says. Gauging her interest in the sport, her mother soon got her a coach.
“I started participating in state level competitions and was supported by my teachers in school. My coach Pandayan initiated me into the sport and with his guidance I got started off and made this sport a part of my life,” she says.
Namritha is now a first year student of Bachelor of Commerce and says that finding time for her sport is something she that’s always on the top of her priorities. “My teachers allow me to take leave of absence to practise and attend these championships which makes it easier.” Surrounded by friends who lend her notes and an encouraging family, Namritha has a promising career ahead of her.
Namritha plans on working on a few aspects of her game. From Standing Position shots to Prone Position and Standing shots, she believes a lot more effort in all these will make her a better contender. Talking about the facilities at the Coimbatore Rifle Club, Namritha appreciates the presence of electronic targets installed there. She says that the club provides for a constructive environment for upcoming players like her.
She has won one bronze medal in the individual event in Pune and a Bronze in the 10-metre event. She also scored a silver 25- metre in the senior category team event. She attributes her success to her former coach Pandayan. “As a newcomer it was tough for me to navigate my way around in the sport, but thanks to coach Pandayan, it became easier and I started finding the sport more interesting,” she says. The pistol used by Namritha for shooting is the semi-automatic .22 LR made by the Italian brand Pardini. The pistol comes with a fully adjustable trigger and weighs a total of 1098 grams.
Namritha has been consistently participating in state and national level competitions and looks forward to making it big. With every victory, Namritha is getting closer to her dream of being a national champion. Talking about winning the medals this time, she says, “It does feel quite nice. I feel that I am proving myself and will be able to do better. I am not satisfied with my performance, and will continue working in the field to up my ante.”
