A new crack-shot has again placed Hyderabad prominently on the national shooting map. Rashmee Rathore outshone seasoned markswomen Arthi Singh and Saniya Shaikh recently to win the women's skeet gold in the National shooting championships at the Dr. Karni Singh range, New Delhi.
Much effort has gone into her achievement. For instance, her day begins at 4 am., followed by an hour-long yoga session from 4.30 am. Helped by her father, Capt. Y.S. Rathore, she hurriedly packs her breakfast and snacks and sets out for her gym in Banjara Hills.
Her fitness regimen completed, she heads for the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) shooting range at the Hyderabad Central University campus in Gachibowli. Only a one-way trip daily from her Sainikpuri residence logs a flat 40 kms in her diesel car.
From 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, she practises her craft including dry shooting, which is target practice minus the weapon or ammunition, but mostly simulated firing.
Back to her gym after practice, she lunches with friends, taking care to follow a strict diet on weekdays; she doesn't mind binging on weekends.
On Sundays, Rashmee doesn't stir out, spending time with the 25 stray and abandoned dogs that have made her house their home. On the advice of her close friend and former colleague Humairah Rahaman, Rashmee quit a lucrative job at the Standard Chartered Bank to chase her dream, but doesn't regret it all.
“Humairah and my dad can read my mind and often come out with what's on the tip of my tongue. So much so that if my dad's unable to reach my phone when I'm abroad, he'd call Humairah,” says Rashmee. Married so to say to the sport, she doesn't think twice about travelling to distant destinations such as Acapulco in Mexico to take on international challenges.
A music and movie buff, she can break out into a song at the drop of a hat. “Although I may not understand a word, I enjoy Arabic songs,” says Rashmee. “Fantasy movies and books are other favourites,” the shooting ace adds.
