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Niraj Kumar Trades College Plans for an Asian Games Dream
Niraj Kumar discovered shooting when he was a teenager in the National Cadet Corps.
After finishing school, he asked his parents to buy him a rifle instead of paying for college right away.
The rifle was very expensive for his family.
He practiced with borrowed and rented equipment, but found it difficult to improve without his own rifle.
His parents eventually supported his dream.
Niraj won important national medals in 2016 and 2017.
These results helped him join the Indian Navy through its sports quota in 2018.
He later learned a harder shooting event and won a junior medal at the Asian Championships.
Now, with support from coaches and India’s shooting system, he hopes to win an Olympic medal.
Niraj Kumar chose shooting over college after discovering the sport through the National Cadet Corps at age 14.
His parents eventually spent about ₹3–3.5 lakh on a rifle after he struggled to progress with rented equipment.
He won junior national silver in 2016 and gold in 2017 before joining the Indian Navy through its sports quota in January 2018.
Niraj later moved from 50m Rifle Prone to 50m Rifle 3 Positions and earned a junior medal at the 2019 Asian Championships.
With support from coaches, the National Rifle Association of India, friends and family, he continues to target an Olympic medal.
- Who
- Shooter Niraj Kumar, supported by his parents, coaches, friends, the Indian Navy and the National Rifle Association of India.
- What
- He pursued a shooting career, won national medals, joined the Indian Navy and continued competing internationally.
- Where
- He began through the National Cadet Corps in India and later competed in national and international shooting events.
- When
- He began shooting in 2014, won national medals in 2016 and 2017, joined the Navy in January 2018, and won a junior Asian Championships medal in 2019.
- Why
- He believed shooting could become his career and wanted to pursue an Asian Games and Olympic medal dream.
Key facts
- First introduced to shooting
- At age 14 through the National Cadet Corps in 2014
- Rifle cost
- Approximately ₹3–3.5 lakh
- First national breakthrough
- Junior silver medal at the 2016 National Championships
- National title
- Junior gold at the 2017 National Championships
- Navy entry
- Joined the Indian Navy through its sports quota in January 2018
- Event transition
- Moved from 50m Rifle Prone to 50m Rifle 3 Positions
- International result
- Won a junior medal at the 2019 Asian Championships
Quotes
Niraj Kumar
Indian competitive shooter describing his decision to prioritize shooting over college.
“That was my breaking point. I thought either I will do it with my own rifle, or I will stop. Otherwise, my time would just be wasted.”
thehansindia.com
“The federation has supported us very well, and it has given us a proper pathway towards our goal of winning an Olympic medal.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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