All rise, a star is born on the Indian archery firmament.

JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur, which has seen many sportspersons across disciplines grab the spotlight, was on Monday stunned by an exceptional talent.

Gora Ho, a 15-year-old from Rajnagar in Seraikela-Kharsawan, won 10 gold medals and one silver on Monday in the Indian round of the ongoing 11th Jharkhand State Archery Championship. On Sunday, Gora had opened his account with gold.

By the end of Monday, Gora had 12 medals in his quiver, the most amassed by any archer in any state championship, including in recurve and compound categories, making the thin, lanky boy, who trains at Dugni archery academy in Seraikela-Kharsawan, the hottest star in the circuit.

Medals jangling around his neck, Gora looked expectant as well as uncertain, as if suddenly aware of the weight of expectations, when The Telegraph caught up with him.

On Sunday, Gora won gold in 30m, sub-junior boys individual section. On Monday, slight inattention cost him the sub-junior 20m gold. Finishing behind Dhanbad's Hemant Kumar, Gora had to be content with silver. But, he managed to bag overall gold (combined points of 30m and 20m), team gold with Krishna Swansi and Ramchandra Hembrom and overall gold.

In the mini boys' and junior boys' categories, Gora had a clean sweep. He won mini boys' 30m and 20m individual medals, an overall one and another team gold in mini; and 40m, 30m, overall and team categories in junior.

Asked how, and he simply answered: " Ab to gold jitney ki aadat si pad gayi hai. Tir nishane lag rahan tha (winning gold has become a habit now, the arrows found their target)."

It wasn't immodesty over his prowess; it was plain surprise. A Class VII schoolboy in government middle school, Kharsawan, Gora, who has grown up amid poverty - his father is paralytic and bed-ridden, his two elder brothers do odd jobs - is now a star.

The lad, who worships ace archers Deepika Kumari and Mangal Singh Champia, said this state meet was his first competition after he received a pat from President Pranab Mukherjee, winning the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement last month.

Told that the honour possibly worked wonders for him, Gora just smiled. Gora's mentor at Dugni, B.S. Rao, who watched him shoot on Monday, said he was elated. Tata Archery Academy (TAA) coach Dharmendra Tiwary added the boy's stellar show impressed everyone, hinting the boy might well land an elite TAA berth. "No other archer has won so many medals in the state championship," Jharkhand Archery Association vice-president L. Murty said.

More new champions

The penultimate day of the three-day 11th Jharkhand State Archery Championship at JRD Tata Sports Complex on Monday, threw up champions from the hinterland.

Dhanbad's Hemant (20) won gold in 50m, 30m and overall categories in the senior men's Indian round. In 50m, Pintu Kumar Rana of Jharkhand Archery Association (JAA) and Jeetraj Tigga of Lohardaga won silver and bronze. In 30m, Giridih's Tarak Choudhary and JAA's Rana won silver and bronze. In women's senior category, Indian round, Dipti Kumari of Birsa Munda Archery Academy, Silli, won gold in 50m. Razia Khatun of Tata Archery Academy (TAA) and Silli's Anita Kumari won silver and bronze. In 30m, Anita won gold while Razia of TAA and Simpy on Silli won silver and bronze.

Around 600 archers in Indian, recurve and compound, are taking part in the state meet.

 

How can Gora Ho be honed to become a world-class champion? Tell ttkhand@ abpmail.com