ON TARGET: UP TEEN WHO SOLD VEGGIES SET FOR ARCHERY WORLD CUP

HIGHLIGHTS:

• As a child, Neeraj said he liked throwing objects at targets. Here he starting showing interest in Archery
• Neeraj Chauhan, a 19-year-old, peddled vegetables by the side of the road
• He will represent India at the World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, from April 17 to 24

Due to financial troubles during the pandemic, Neeraj Chauhan, a 19-year-old, peddled vegetables by the side of the road. During Covid, his father Akshaylal Chauhan, a cook at Meerut’s Kailash Prakash Stadium, lost his job. The adolescent had no choice but to help out his family. Throughout it all, he never lost sight of his dream.

After a fantastic performance in tryouts held at the Sports Authority Of India centre in Sonepat, Haryana, he has qualified to represent India at the archery World Cup, World Games, and Asian Games. Sanjeeva Singh, the high-performance director of the Archery Association of India, praised Neeraj’s performance as “one of the best” he had ever seen. “He’ll undoubtedly deliver the cup to the country,” he predicted.

Neeraj used to enjoy tossing items at targets as a kid

As a child, Neeraj said he liked throwing objects at targets. “After observing individuals practising archery at a stadium near my home, I became captivated with the sport. I realised I was passionate about the sport,” he told

His journey, however, was not easy. With three brothers, a mother, and a father, his family was “always on the verge of financial insecurity.” “There was no respite,” he claimed. We were fully reliant on my father’s paycheck, which was only Rs 10,000.” Neeraj is now hoping for a better future for himself and his family. Archery is a pricey sport to participate in. My father was first opposed to it, but after seeing how well I did, he encouraged me to work hard and persevere. I just had local equipment when I first started archery. I couldn’t get anything else since I couldn’t afford it. I made compromises on everything, from shoes to clothing, but I never stopped practising.

Ups and Downs in his journey of success

“As the pandemic spread, his difficulties grew.” For over 30 years, my father worked as a cook at the Meerut stadium. During the epidemic, he was shown the door and we were left to our own resources. We’d never been able to save anything in our lives. He explained, “We were compelled to sell veggies.”

After a video of Neeraj and his brother Sunil Chauhan, a national-level boxer, went viral on social media, the sports ministry took notice of their plight. The ministry has pledged Rs 5 lakh in aid to the duo through the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons. That allowed Neeraj to concentrate on his practise rather than worrying about his family’s nourishment. That’s all taken care of now.

Representing India at the World Cup in Antalya

“After turning 18, I was also able to secure a job as a policeman with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police under the sports quota a year ago. My father no longer needs to go door to door looking for work. All I desire is to repay my nation for the medal it has bestowed upon me “he stated. All he cares about now is hitting the target “for the sake of my family and nation.” He will represent India at the World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, from April 17 to 24, and then travel to Shanghai (May 15-22) and Paris (June 19-26).

Avatar photo

Dr. Kirti Sisodhia

Content Writer

CATEGORIES Business Agriculture Technology Environment Health Education

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