Mark the man

"Each year the competition becomes tougher, both in terms of numbers and quality of shooting. There are a number of juniors and lots of women participating,” says Palghar’s Kaikhusru Irani who won the title of Champion of Champions in the 10 m air pistol event at the 25th Maharashtra State Shooting Championship from October 2-7, 2008 at the Worli Shooting Range in Bombay.

For the Champion of Champions title, the top eight shooters from the men and women’s category are selected. "For the 10-shot final, of the eight we were three guys and five women!” he chuckles. "The winner of this is deemed Champion of Champions (in that event).” Abhinav Bindra had won the Olympic gold for the same distance, but his was a rifle while this was a pistol event, explains Kai-khusru’s father Merwan.

Kaikhusru Irani: State level winner

Kaikhusru also won silver in the 50 m free pistol and a bronze each in the 10 m air pistol and the 25 m center fire pistol. In the standard fire pistol, he placed fourth, says Merwan. "The pistols are all different. As soon as Kaikhusru qualified as a renowned shot, he was given the permission to import the weapons. Maharashtra is a strong state in shooting and has got some very good marksmen like Ashok Pandit, Raunak Pandit, etc. The facilities at the Worli Range are very good. The 10 m air pistol range is air-conditioned, with automatic retrieval of targets. Shooters from all over Maha-rashtra — Satara, Sangli, Aurangabad, Nasik, Bombay, Thana, Poona, etc, participate,” notes the father who takes a very keen interest in Kaikhusru’s marksmanship.

"I am in my final year of physiotherapy at the D. Y. Patil Institute of Physiotherapy at Nerul (New Bombay) so the preparations for the tournament were not all that good. I asked for a week off before the competition and put in about five hours of practice every day,” Kaikhusru explains. "I am feeling very good about the win. We do it for personal satisfaction. It’s different if you are into it big time.”

Graduation by May next year will be followed by a six-month internship. "Kaikhusru is sticking right now to the state level as studies are important,” states Merwan who is the secretary of the Palghar Taluka Rifle Club.