Shooting star

Chandro Tomar, popularly known as ‘Shooter Dadi’, may look like a typical grandmother. However, once this octogenarian from Johri village in Bagpat district in Uttar Pradesh picks up the rifle, she surprises everyone with her dexterity and sharp eye for shooting. Mother of six children and grandmom to 15, she is one of the oldest sharpshooters in the world.

It all began in 1999, when her granddaughter Shefali Tomar wanted to join a shooting range but was too shy to go there alone. “It used to be a male-dominated game at that time and my granddaughter was young and shy, so I encouraged her by accompanying her every day to the shooting range,” says Tomar.

Curious as she was, Tomar picked up the gun one day and decided to give it a go. “I got hooked to it instantly and the coach, Farooq Pathan, was surprised to see my aim. Everyone around praised me, and suggested that I seek professional training as a shooter. That’s how it all began and there has been no looking back since then,” says the grandmother who has already won over 25 national championships.

As she belonged to a conservative society, Tomar did not let her family know about her new-found talent. “It was a secret for months until I won a medal at a match and the news appeared in the papers. The men in my family and society used to make fun of me that I should go to Kargil with my gun,” she shares.

Nothing could dampen her spirit though and she kept sharpening her skills. “When everybody was fast asleep, I used to enter our granary, fill a jug of water and practice for keeping my hands steady- a pre-requisite for being a skilled sharpshooter,” she confesses.

Following in her footsteps, Tomar’s daughters and granddaughters started taking up shooting professionally and won accolades at national and international level. “Our village started getting recognition on an international scale and we began to be known as the ‘village of shooters’,” she says.

When not shooting, the granny is attending to her household chores. “I meditate regularly, which helps me achieve sharp focus and concentration needed for shooting. I regularly visit the shooting range in our village and mentor, coach and encourage young kids to take up the sport professionally. When at home, I do my household activities including feeding and milking the cattle, cleaning, cooking and watching some soap operas in free time,” says Tomar.