Here is the story of Vinita Bhardwaj in her own words, we are sure this will prove to be a boost of motivation for everyone who reads it.
As a child who looked different; a girl who wore black boots with metal rods with school uniform and not the usual girlish bellies, I was looked down upon by classmates; made to feel different than the rest of the girls even though I used to be one of the toppers in academics and co-curricular activities also. Having a physical abnormality made me take on the challenge as a child to go into sports. Thus, trying on sports like kho-kho, skating, basketball, swimming, equestrian; my father saw what I was trying to achieve. He gave me the advice of not trying to do something practically and scientifically impossible and rather find a sport which I’d be able to conquer by my strengths rather than getting defeated by the weakness of my physical strength. He knew I’d be happy only if I’d be able to win, he knew the feeling of winning and losing in sports.
I had already tried shooting as a fun sport in 6th class for the first time (owing that opportunity to Mission Olympic 2005, led by Col. Rajyavardhan S. Rathore; just after winning his Olympic Silver in shooting). In 2008, Mission Olympic file again came on the desk and I went for it. After coming back home for getting rejected by the Mission Olympic committee based on my physical disability, my father bought me an Air Rifle, even before we knew how the sport is played. He asked one of the Army units who had a shooting range for the dealer’s number and ordered me an Air Rifle, even before we knew the path of States, G.V. Mavlankar, NSCC.
God helps those who help themselves; you attract whatever comes into your life. A new officer got posted in our station, Lt. Ruby, who joined the army to pursue shooting. As soon as my dad got to know, he went to her and asked her coach to come see the potential in his daughter. Yuvraj sir, he motivated me so much on the first day, he made my dad and me believe that this is the sport for me, my first kit was ordered then and there over call to Mr. Nilesh Rane sir.
Since then, giving my heart and soul to this beautiful sport, I believe I’ve come a long way. Struggled for a few years until I passed out from school, could devote more time to shooting and matured enough to understand the technicality of the sport; I met Aman Deep, my coach since and now my husband. He made my shooting journey reach from the ground to reach high up. Technicality of the sports started dawning upon me in 2014 and working as hard as I could, I won my first international, World University Championship, Poland Gold medal in 2016. It felt easy reaching the top, becoming India ranked 1 in 2017; First senior World Cup participation; Getting supported by the prestigious sponsors OGQ, the difficult and real work came in the consistency of being among the top. I’ve been in the senior Indian squad from 2017 till now.
I’m still on my path of finding the balance of life and shooting, the balance of mind, body and the balance of my rifle on my body of course. The journey continues…
-Vinita Bhardwaj
Keep following the Series of Stories of Shooters. Every shooter has a story and they learn from. If you can learn for their’s the we are sure you can learn alot.