Sharp shooting

Returning to competition after a longish layoff due to academics, 24-year-old Kaikhusru Irani of Palghar won the gold in the 10 m air pistol event and a bronze in the 25 m center fire event at the Maharashtra State Pistol and Rifle Championships at the Worli range in Bombay from October 1-7, 2007. "Competing in the center fire event was Arjuna awardee Ashok Pandit who won the gold while the silver went to his son, renowned shooter Ronak Pandit,” Kaikhusru’s father Merwan informs us. The family have a farm in Palghar in Thana district.

Kaikhusru is currently in the third year of physiotherapy at the Dr D. Y. Patil College in New Bombay and commutes from Dadar where he lives. "I will probably go into sports (injury) management after completing the four-year course plus six months internship,” he explains. The young sharp shooter had earlier completed his BSc.

At the 47th National Shooting Championships at Hyderabad in December 2003, Irani had fired on all cylinders, picking up 10 medals, just a year after he entered competitive shooting. "Three years ago I used to practise religiously, mostly at our farm in Palghar. This time I practiced for just the week before the competition. In the last couple of years competitions would clash with my exams. This year there was no collision with dates. The college authorities are cooperative and encouraged me to go,” he says.

Frustrating in the extreme, he complains, is the lack of sponsorship. A shooter requires his own personalized weapons, the cost of ammunition is steep. "Up till now, my dad has been bearing the expenses and we have been managing on our own. Friends and relatives have been helping me. I had a sponsor in Farshak Travels.” But how long can this go on? he queries. "Nobody appreciates even a bit! A leading trust whom we approached asked so many questions and told me to get a letter from the Rifle Association even after being shown all the papers and the medals! Nobody even bothers. But my family is very supportive.” Kaikhusru aims to continue shooting straight from the shoulder.