“It took me 4 years to have a rifle of my own”
EMN Sports Desk: From Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver in Athens (2004) to Abhinav Bindra’s gold in Beijing, shooting has been lifted to lofty standards at the Olympic stage, but is it a sport for the masses?
Not only did the aforementioned duo win Olympic glory for India, they put the sport of shooting on a different pedestal, from where they inspired a number of youngsters to take up the sport as career.
Today, shooting has emerged as a popular and one of the most sought after events in Indian sports thanks to the scintillating show by these men. Now a Naga is also pursuing his dream in shooting sport.
Hito Swu has now successfully completed coaching course in shooting discipline held at Delhi by the National Rifle Association of India from July 8 July to 12, 2016. He became the first Naga to be a certified trainer in the shooting sports.
One Sunday Hito told Eastern Mirror: “I have qualified for selection trails, a competition higher than national and now I am eligible to participate in any open International shooting championship although it comes with self financing unless you are in the Indian Squad which is in a meager margin”. He also has also successfully completed National Himalayan Trekking via Chanderkhani Pass 12,800 km above sea level.
Hito recalled that the first shooting championship in Nagaland started at the collegiate level by the Nagaland University in collaboration with the Nagaland State Rifle Association in the month of November 2009, at Sazolie College, where he had represented the host college.
At the early age of 19, Hito found his interest in shooting after he won his first silver medal. He finished his Bachelor degree in Arts in 2012 and enrolled himself the same year at the Jaspal Rana Institute of Physical Education, Dehradun for Bachelor degree in physical education B.P.Ed.
He also got his training under Jaspal Rana (3 times world champion, Arjuna awardee, at present, Rana coaches at the Jaspal Rana Institute of Education and Technology in Dehradun.) In 2012, Heto won gold and silver medals at the Uttarakhand district and state championship.
He was also given recognition as the “Renowned Shot of India” by the National Rifle Association of India after he scored 580/600. After he finished his degree, his aim became clearer as he took a leap of faith to continue shooting without any support from the government. He went to Pune to further enhance his skills and follow the dream. Even now he takes training from Anjali Bhagawat (former world no.1 multi awardee) since 2013.
According to Hito ‘shooting sport has become one of the subjects in the CBSE board in order to give importance to shooting discipline, since India has got the few individual medals in Olympics from shooting sport.’ “At the school or college level, nationals, international games if you got any medal, you are eligible to get a job in any governmental sectors like Indian Army, Air force, Railways, BSF, FCI and many more sectors.”
He also pointed out that in Nagaland, Aries Rifles & Pistol shooting Academy has been promoting shooting since 2010, and Nagaland University is among very few universities in India who has got a shooting range of its own. He also informed that Nagaland Rifle Association affiliated with the National Rifle Association was coming up with a new NRA shooting complex where a North East Shooting Championship would be held this year.
Talking about taking the sport as a career he said, “It has been the hardest decision for my parents to believe that I
can even have a career in this new field mounting with the financial assistance for my rifle, equipments (change of equipments), pellets, target and need for a coach. Unlike other sports person I wanted to do my studies together with it so we had to struggle harder.
At least 6 competitions a year is held either at Delhi, Pune or Kerala and the expense I had to carry on my own. How hard do you think wherever I go for training in India I had always been alone since 2012 since I had chosen to follow my dreams. Well, I will follow through and hope to see shooters from Nagaland soon.
“Decisions were never easy and especially when you have no one to lookup, nor did I had strong financial support or sports background. Although I started my shooting career on 2009, it took me 4 years to have a rifle of my own which I will always be grateful to my parents; remembering help rendered by the ones they had help him to achieve as to what he is now”.
On a reflective note, he said: “All I did was to follow my dreams and as a believer, God has helped me through all these. Who says there is no risk? When you don’t have proper guidance or proper financial support and the career you have choose is the beginning of shooting sport in Nagaland.
I’m willing to develop shooting sport in Nagaland with all my experience in this field and as a shooter cum coach.
Hito has played four nationals game representing Nagaland state, twice for All India University representing Nagaland University and Bharati Vidyapeet Deemed University, and a national game.
