Indians For Guns

Not stopping at the great historic Gold that Bindra got to make billions proud, I am starting this thread for us all to put in our views on what next?
It could be something at an individual, association or governmental level, but the very fact that depsite the odds that we all have now, one person has proved his meritous achievement by clinching the Olympic Gold.
Please recommend your views on 'WHAT NEXT'.... as keen enthusiasts, and what you feel should be the next step, so we keep the ball rolling and use this awekaning to positively impact shooting sports in India.

My recommendations:
1. State and city level units to gear up and get more talent into the pool.
2. Spread word against negativity for shooting, on an individual level.
3. Make shooting related information more freely available.

I am sure that this information exchange will benefit us all

TenX,

Noble thoughts indeed and i commend you on the starting effort of the same.
However at the risk of sounding like a pessimist and playing the devils advocate as well , do you have any leverage to get a decent hearing on issues such as (1) Reopening hunting in India , eg via the forest blocks mode. (2) Opening up import of weapons. (3) Etc (4) Etc (5) Etc ???

Am sure that there wud be many many thoughts on how to promote shooting sports in India OR Hunting in India OR such related topics BUT do we have a realistic chance of even getting an unbiased hearing ???

Wud be great if there is even the remotest chance of getting our voices heard and if you can guide us on how we can go about this and if you can then spearhead the challenge !

Cheers Rohit.

Hi Rohit.
one thing that I have observed, while developing solutions within a group are,
> People in a group come up with more and effective solutions, but over a period of time.
> Everyone is entitled to their opinions, good or bad, and usually the negative emotions come out first. This is mostly human nature. This leads to a better de.scription of the problem, in the first stage.
> Once the rat is out of the hole, the hole is easier to clean, and then, everyone starts pouring out positive solutions. This forum and everyone who views it will be hearing the woes of the other. A continuation will bring out the better positive side of everyone.
> Solutions need not be stsrted from the adminstration only. In real life, I have noticed that when everyone comments, the strength of unity will lead to action in some terms, by itself.
> Apart from administrative changes, discussion can lead to individual betterment; group opinions can lead to change. An example would be a small organization where their rules and proceedures make a good effect without needing changes in authority. Maybe this group can successfully delivr a message to the authority too. This doing of our bit, may 'magnetize' those who need to.
> Group thought can add to everyone else's idead, develop it and make it mature. Then, everyone of us is individually empowered with more powerful thoughts and better solutions. Somewhere, somehow, it may seep into good actions.
> No ONE of us is better than ALL of us.

From what you said, I agree that opening of imports is a great step. It would benefit those around someone who has imported also, in knowing and developing an interest.

Having said this, I will personally take it to ensure more participation in my state association by spreading the good word, encouraging more people to join thru radio and other media, building a good pressure on the association itself, to gear up to better standards to match new demand. I am also talking to all those Olympians I can contact to schedule interviews and such with a basic view on improving sports. All you people's thoughts will empower me in whatever I do, and make me so much more positive in my actions...

TenX,

You most certainly have my whole hearted support and lets hope that your post is the begining of a movement that heralds good times fot shooting sports in India and maybe even reopens other avenues which have been closed the past couple of years.

Cheers Rohit.

Even a condition where the Indian shooters dont need to go abroad to train, due to a complete lack of ammunition would be a start.

MoA
Your point is so valid, considering that Abhinav himself had to train abroad most of the year...
Breaking it down into more 'needs' could it be stated as:
> Requirement and availability of ammunition, training facilities.

I also think that less internationalization in athletes may be another shortcoming to the sport. What say?

There is a shortfall for shooting in India, and for all the above, owing to several reasons like
1. Shooting has not been a major spectator sport, thus not getting required attention, sponsorship, people-involvement, etc
2. Shooting requires space and equipment as against other common sports like cricket, which can be played on any road or gully.
3. A big majority of people do not know the basics of shooting, and is therefore pretty ignorant about this; which leads to a sort of negativism for the unknown - (Interestingly, a common sport can be one whose rules and details are caught thru air, without having to read about it. We all know cricket rules, but have we ever read them?)
4. Shooting can end up a costly sport, as against other common sports which dont need any recurring costs.
5. Team activities which involve more team 'fun' is usually preferred more, and shooting is mostly not this type.
6. In itself, Shooting is more like an examination wherein you dont even compete directly, ball against ball, with your contender. You just write your exam to score full marks, and hope to get a rank if your score is the highest.
7. Most shooting related equipment, guns and ammo is not manufactured in India (I am talking about competition material), thus making the sport so much less accessible.
8. Less number of top end professionals reduce the National level competitive edge.
9. Lack of Internationalization makes several shooters aim at only representing an International event and their wishes may remain at seeing a foreign country and white babes only.
10. No talent recognition in budding stages, including schools/colleges not part of the promotion.

But Shooting is, interestingly, one of the few sports in which India can get wonderful appraisal because
1. Shooters need a quality mind frame and focus/concentration, which Indians are good at, as against other sports wherein opponents are genetically stronger.
2. Point (1) can have a lot of discussion, but owing to the fact of the huge population, we will find odds here and there, wherein there is a supremely strong Punjabi, or an excellent tamil runner, but overall, the generic percentage of out race can be better at Shooting, Chess, Swimming, etc than Hockey, Soccer, etc. We should focus our energies and talent in this pool of more probable avenues. (like how china concentrate their efforts in speed and agility based events, like Gymnastics, etc)
3. If a small percentage of Indians show an affinity in shooting sports, and we have the right infrastructure to support, then, discounting the number who dont mature into international class, the percentage who drop out, and others, we will still have a huge talent pool, which is better than betting all we have on one or two horses. A good number will attain more number of top shooters, making things much more competitive inbetween them.

Looking at this, can we...
1. Get the state government to round off the petrol prices (say from 56.91 to 57.00) for a month or two, and collect the excess for improving shooting infrastructure and getting guns/ammo. Of course, this is defnitely white, and I dont think anone would mind because the excess 9 paise is anyway being eaten by the petrol bunk guys.
2. Private service providers can round off bills (like cell phone, power, etc) to the nearest rupee. The few paise collected from lakhs of house holds and subscribers may easily ful fill the requirements for range, maintenance, etc.
3. We could even start a promotion group (I already have 6 friends who want to donate 5000 bucks every year for me to improve my shooting), to collect good money for improvement of Shooting Sports. A lot of IT-cadre professionals dontmind donating upto 5000 rupees every year, because they will get an IT exemption for donation. Of course, the collection has to be from a white body with required govt. permissions.
4. We have education cess and so many taxes. Maybe one month's collection of these taxes could fund sports (Shooting included).
5. Indiiduals/Groups can talk to colleges/schools to encourage shooting (Air Rifle to begin with), which does not require a huge investment or space. Shooting enthusiasts can form a club of 'Coaches' and allocate available time and energy in getting youngsters to know more about shooting. We could goto nearby schools for 2 hours a week and demonstrate/teach and coach enthusisats. This is a required step in breaking walls and getting talent closer to the sport.
6. OF COURSE - make international class guns ammo and kits more easily available - zero in on red-tapism, neta-heirarchy and open a more transparent proceedure.
7. Open up the media to talk and teach more about shooting. I have started to build a lobby of media people - Radio, TV, Newspaper, etc, to publicise shooting sports. If we could get one major newspaper to print a weekly/monthly article by one/all of us, letting the public know what the sport is, it would help a lot. Imagine a TV weekly serial on shooting, with the IFG banner, sponsored by new comers (manufacturers) - Abhijeet will introduce shooting/legalities/rules, Nagarifle will talk about pistols, Rustum will occasionally make a stampede... Its possible guys, and we will also be the forerunners of writing India's tomorrow!

TenX,

Agree wth you and also networking goes a long way.
To begin wth can you tell us more about yourself so that i for one can identify what/who you are and accordingly set the networking in motion.

Rohit.

About Shooting -

o Active state participant and member of the Karnataka State Rifle Assn., webmaster for www.ksra.in, very eager to promote shooting sports in the state, but extremely bad in politics, and am therefore not a member of the governing body.
o Honored with the State’s highest sports award – ‘Ekalavya’ Award, 2006.
o Honored with Karnataka Olympic Association’s ‘Sportsman of Year’ award, 2003.
o In NCC, have attended varying camps in Mountaineering, Leadership, and Banner Competitions including Rifle-Shooting.
o Posses A, B and C certificates.
o Posses a First Class Red Cross certificate.
o Passion in Nature has led to many treks, including the Himalayas, many jungles etc.

About Career:
To fathom the depths of UED in development of solutions & applications, with a broad outlook to novel concepts and innovation.
Motivate a Team, based with Presence of Circumstance, Understanding of Requirement, Time frames and Ruling Constraints, to empower Cutting Edge Solutions.
Presently in between jobs, am in the last stages of my position as Staff Manager, Sr. Tech Lead at Kyocera Wireless.
Age - 35, Height 5'9".... what else?

When you coming to Delhi

Achievements participating from KSRA:
NSCC 2007-2008
ISSU 50m Men Prone - 11th position

State Games 2006
ISSU 50m Men Prone Team - Team Gold

NSCC 2005
ISSU 50m Men Prone Team - Bronze

NSCC 2003
ISSU 50m Men Prone Team - Silver
Qualified for Indian team trials
ISSU 50m Men Prone – Bronze

NSCC 2002
ISSU 50m Men Prone Team – Fifth
ISSU 50m Men Prone – 20th

11th Mavlankar 2001
ISSU 10m Air Rifle – 17th
ISSU 10m Air Pistol - 28th

State Games 2001
ISSU 50m Men Prone – Gold
ISSU 50m Men Prone Team – Silver
ISSU 50m Men 3P – Silver
ISSU 50m Men 3P Team – Gold
ISSU 10m Men Air Rifle - Silver

NSCC 2001
ISSU 50m Men Prone - Silver

10th Mavlankar 2000
ISSU 10m Men Air Rifle – 25th

NSCC 1999
ISSU 50m Men Prone - Silver

State Games 1999
ISSU 50m Men Prone – Gold
ISSU 50m Men Prone Team – Silver
ISSU 10m Men Air Rifle – Silver
ISSU 10m Men Air Rifle - Gold

Best score in ISSU 50m prone is 588 in match (National Team Trials, 2003), 590 in practice (KSRA, 2007)

My last trip to Delhi was for an exhibition, sent thru office. But I will never forget the experience I had when i came for the National Team trials in 2003, April May, when the acorching heat made hens lay omlettes!
We were expected to find our own lodging, get our own transport to the range, get our own ammo, and although I did manage to get a little help from here and there, I could frankly not take the heat, the monetary problem I had, and the overall strain which I had never practiced for...
I remember the 400 rupees hotel where I stayed with a rifle and ammo, which did not even have a fan.. I could not sleep for two nights and finally with the lobby support of a few army friends, I managed to get a room in the stadium, which solved things to an extent.
A co-shooter of mine, who knew minister lever guys, and was staying in a VVIP bungalow, had a car at his disposal and offered to help me out with my rifle case and ammo. I eventually sweet talked the peon of the stadium to lend me his scooter to do my trips to the range. What heat, what an experience. If there was an olympic event 'Batting unseen odds', I think every Indian would win

That Bad Huh.

But then again like they say ............Life's not that bad ITS WORSE

Cheers Rohit.

Anand,

You forgot to mention the World Championship Gold for verbosity.

Mack The Knife Bana";p="49766 wrote:Anand,

You forgot to mention the World Championship Gold for verbosity.