Shooters wilt, even as Rs 25 lakh paid to the ministry lies unused

Today, at 37, he still has all the luxuries, but not the time. Yet, neither his passion nor dream to win an international medal has diminished one bit.

Shooting is one discipline where India are on a level-playing field with the world, be it pistol, rifle or shotgun events, and skeet. What Jindal has not been able to achieve, someone else will do in the near future.

But for that to happen, he feels, an ideal environment has to be created. And for starters, Jindal took the cue and paid Rs 25 lakh to the Sports Ministry in 2005 to create a fund where an equal amount would be added by the latter to procure weapons and ammunition and loaned to budding shooters who can’t afford them, under a Pay and Play Scheme to be run by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

However, it is nearly two years since Jindal sowed the seeds. Not one has sprouted to date.

The idea came about when Jindal realised the disparities and how it was easy abroad to arrive at a shooting range, pick your gun and ammunition and practice as many number of rounds as your pocket allows on a daily basis.

“I thought such a scheme in India would not only be a great hit, but will also enable young shooters to blossom. I spoke to the Sports Ministry people who seemed interested in the scheme and I immediately paid up. But for two years now nothing has happened despite several inquiries. I really don’t know something will ever come of it,” he says.

So exasperated was he that he shot off a letter some time back to suggest that if the ministry could not utilise the funds for the P&P Scheme, it could be diverted to create a strongroom to keep the weapons and ammunition of shooters at the range.

“I thought it could at least be used for this purpose in order to lessen the burden of shooters carrying their weapons and ammunition to and from their homes. But I am yet to hear from the ministry,” say Jindal with a tinge of sadness.

Jindal knows if he had put Rs 25 lakh in the bank, it would have accrued a decent interest. But he says he would leave that in the interest of the nation hoping the ministry would do something concrete.