Wednesday was a day of firsts for both Tarundeep Rai and the Army Sports Institute (ASI). When 22-year-old Rai won the Arjuna Award, it also meant a major recognition for the Ghorpuri-based institute since beginning its `Mission Olympics’ programme in 2001.For Rai the award justifies his feat last year when, at the 43rd World Outdoor Target archery championship at Madrid, he came within a whisker of winning an individual bronze. Despite losing to South Korea’s Choi Won Jong 106-112 in the 12-arrow recurve it was an Indian first. The Sikkim lad went on to be part of India’s best-ever team performance at the worlds, winning their first-ever silver.Rai returned wiser from Madrid. “We can now give the Koreans a good fight,” he had told The Indian Express.
