Seraikela archer Gora Ho has found a job avenue as he will be joining Army Boys Sports Company (ABSC), a sports institute of Bihar Regiment in Danapur, an infantry of Indian Army.
The 15-year-old Indian round archer, a cadet of government-run archery cradle at Dugni in Seraikela-Kharsawan, will be formally inducted into the army once he is 18.
The highly-talented Ho, the current mini and junior national champion in Indian round (shooting with traditional bows and arrows) is heading to Danapur, Bihar, on February 22 to join the Army sports wing for a training stint.
Ho attended the selection trial conducted by the ABSC in March last year. He was subsequently selected.
" Naukri mil jaye isliye ja raha hun. Achha karne ki koshish karunga (Going for job. Will try to do well)," Gora told The Telegraph.
He added he has no problem in training at Dugni cradle but an entry to the Army sports unit will open employment opportunity for him.
His mentor B.S. Rao, however, said he was against Ho joining the ABSC. "Training facilities are not up to the mark. Moreover, equipment support is also not very good at the ABSC," he added.
Rao, chief coach of Dugni cradle, said he would like his ward to try his luck at the induction trial of Tata Archery Academy (TAA) to be held in April. "An entry to the Tata cradle will make him a recurve archer. It will also allow him to work under a structured unit. Ho will also get ample opportunity to improve his shooting skills," he added.
According to Rao, Ho will be left all alone at the army unit. There is no archer from Seraikela at the Bihar facility. "Gora has lot of fellow archers in Dugni. If he is inducted into the TAA, he can find a Seraikela cadet in Binod Swansi. He can also watch his idol Deepika Kumari shoot from close quarters. This will also help him develop as a solid archer. I am totally against Ho heading to Bihar," Rao said.
To top it all, Rao explained, several TAA graduates have found employment, especially with the railways. "Ho also stands to get an employment," the mentor added.
Rao added he would like his ward to try his luck at Pune-based Army Sports Institute (ASI). "A good number of archers from Seraikela are in Pune. The facility also has top class equipment and coaches," he pointed out.
