How does it feel being the first Indian woman to win gold at the World Championships?

Sach mein bahut achcha lag raha hai. I feel on top of the world.

Take us through that winning moment...

The winning moment was naturally very magical but it became all the more special because my personal coach Kuheli Ganguly was also my teammate at the World Championships. She has been working tirelessly with me, preparing for the World Championships for a year-and-a-half.

What was your preparation like going into the World Championships?

While Kuheli didi and I had been training together since early 2009, in October last year, specialist coach (Stanislav) Lapidus joined us. The three of us, with my mental trainer Vaibhav Agashe and my physical trainer Sangeeta Ghatak, who is from Calcutta, spent months working on my strategy for the World Championships. From my physique to my mental state to how I should control the emotional ups and downs, they guided me every step of the way. Mujhe kaise train karna chahiye, mere mental strength ko kaise develop karna chahiye, sab mere coaches ne strategy banayi thi. I trust all my four coaches immensely and I blindly followed their instructions.

When I won, Kuheli didi was there with me. Just a day before the final match, she had sat down with me, talking me through my mistakes and problems. I found that session very helpful and motivating. I was very tense before the last shot, but the encouraging words of my coaches really helped a lot. Mujhe laga ki ab jo bhi ho, mujhe jeetna hi hai!

Even after I won, I thought that I had just created a world record and bettered my personal best. When I was told I had won gold, I couldn’t speak for five minutes! (Laughs)

How have you celebrated?

I really haven’t felt the need to celebrate separately because the whole country has celebrated my win. From Delhi to Mumbai to Pune to my hometown Kolhapur, bas sirf celebration hi celebration hai!

Are you happy with the reception and recognition you have got in India after your win?

I am very lucky that I am getting so much adulation and recognition. My seniors like Anju didi (Anjali Bhagwat), Kuheli didi, Suma didi (Suma Shirur), Deepali didi (Deepali Deshpande) and Anuja didi (Anuja Jung) were neglected despite achieving so much. I think shooting as a sport came into the limelight in India after Rajyavardhan Rathore won silver at the (2004 Athens) Olympics. The kind of reception that I got after returning to India was totally unexpected.

As a child, why did you decide to take up shooting?

I was always fascinated by shooting. I must have been about 10 or so when my father took me to the shooting range at Dudhali in Kolhapur and handed over a rifle to me. As I fired a shot, I felt a strange bonding with my rifle and an unexplained happiness every time I hit the bull’s eye. I was never very good at studies and received a lot of flak for it, but then everyone suddenly realised that I have a flair for shooting. In fact, I started off playing basketball, but later realised that I preferred an individual sport to a team sport. Not that shooting is not a team sport, but here you are the master of your own destiny. In shooting, whether you win or lose is completely your own responsibility and no one else’s.

Do you feel that shooting is still looked upon as a man’s sport in India?

I have never been made to feel so. Indian women have reached space, so shooting is nothing. I have always believed that what a man can do, a woman can do better. Shooting, most of all!

Whose support have you always counted on the most?

My parents and sister have supported me through good and bad times. There was a time when I was very depressed and wanted to quit the sport, but they talked me out of it. Shooting is a very expensive sport, but my parents never made me feel that it was denting the family’s finances. They have run after sponsors, taken loans just to make sure that I kept practising everyday. I can never thank them enough. When I went up to collect my medal, I was missing my dad the most. After working so hard for me, he isn’t around today to see my success. [Ravindra Sawant, a former Navy officer passed away in February this year] Also, I would like to thank my sponsors for having invested in me and having so much trust in my abilities.

What would your advice be to young girls in India wanting to take up shooting as a career?

Devotion, dedication and respect for the game are very important. This is not only true of shooting, but also for any other sport. Respect the game and the game will respect you back. Trust your coaches blindly because they will always have your best interests in mind. Be prepared for a lot of hard work and discipline because shooting drains a lot out of you both physically and emotionally. Most importantly, always complete your education because talent always needs to be supplemented with knowledge and a larger view of the world that only education can provide.

What is your training schedule?

My training schedule varies from season to season and from tournament to tournament. My training regimen is planned by my four coaches. However, every day, five hours go into shooting practice, two hours into physical training and about an hour for mental conditioning. I rest for the remaining day because optimum relaxation is also important for a sport like shooting.

What do you do to relax?

I am a very restless person who can’t sit still. I keep moving about the house. I like watching TV and listening to old Hindi film songs.

Do you follow any other sport?

I don’t follow any other sport as such but I really admire Sachin Tendulkar. The way he has conducted both his career and his personal life is a guide for every sportsperson in India.

What are your short-term and long-term goals?

In the short-term, I would like to shift my attention back to the air-rifle events. For the last year-and-a-half, I have only been concentrating on the .22 events. In the long-term, I would want to better my personal best each time.