New Delhi, Aug 10 — For Vidarsa K Vinod, a place in India’s Asian Games shooting squad represents far more than the culmination of a successful sporting campaign. The 27-year-old from Kozhikode, Kerala, who will compete in the 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, has reached the continental stage after overcoming financial constraints, a pandemic-induced break, life in a new city and a point when she was ready to walk away from shooting.

Vidarsa's introduction to the sport came through the National Cadet Corps in 2018, initially with little ambition beyond experiencing shooting. Training with borrowed equipment, she went on to emerge as the aggregate champion at the Kerala State Championship, an achievement that convinced her to pursue the sport seriously.

“I just wanted to experience shooting. I never imagined it would become my profession. When I became the aggregate champion at the Kerala State Championship despite training with borrowed equipment, I realised this was the sport I wanted to pursue,” she said.

But turning that early promise into a career came with a substantial financial cost. For her middle-class family, meeting the expenses associated with rifles, ammunition and repeated travel for national competitions was a major challenge.

“Shooting is a beautiful sport, but it’s also expensive. There were times when my parents couldn’t afford to travel with me to competitions, so I started travelling alone to reduce the financial burden. Eventually in 2021, my family even took a loan so I could buy my first rifle. Looking back, that was one of the biggest investments they made—not just in equipment, but in my dream,” Vidarsa said.

The COVID-19 lockdown brought her progress to a standstill. Since the rifle she had been using belonged to her association, she was left without access to the equipment needed to train. Instead of allowing the enforced break to derail her completely, Vidarsa concentrated on keeping herself physically prepared.

“I couldn’t shoot, but I never stopped training. I focused on fitness, yoga and meditation because I knew I had to be ready whenever the opportunity returned.”

Her personal and sporting life took another important turn after the pandemic, when she met fellow rifle shooter Manu S Ravi. Their friendship eventually developed into marriage, with Manu now working as a shooting coach in Kerala and continuing to support her career.

A conversation between the two would ultimately push Vidarsa towards taking ownership of her sporting ambitions.

Vidarsa recalled, “He simply asked me, ‘Why don’t you own a rifle?’ At first, I laughed because buying one wasn’t financially possible for us. But he made me realise that if I truly believed in my dream, I had to take that step. That conversation gave me the courage to speak to my parents, and together we decided to invest in my future.”

Under the coaching of Manoj Kumar, with further guidance from her husband, Vidarsa began making progress on the competition circuit. Her first national medal came in 2022, offering tangible evidence that the sacrifices made by her family were beginning to bear fruit.

Seeking a more competitive training environment, she subsequently moved to New Delhi and began training at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. Away from home and unfamiliar with Hindi, she had to navigate everyday responsibilities alongside the demands of elite-level training.

“Living alone in Delhi wasn’t easy. I had to cook for myself, manage everything on my own and continue training every day. There were moments when it became physically and mentally exhausting, but I knew these sacrifices were necessary if I wanted to represent India.”

The accumulated pressure eventually brought her closest to giving up. In early 2024, financial difficulties and a series of near misses left Vidarsa questioning whether she could continue.

“I had almost decided to quit. My family, my husband and my coach had sacrificed so much, and I felt guilty. But they never stopped believing in me, even when I was losing belief in myself.”

The breakthrough came later that year when Vidarsa secured a place at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE). Access to training, accommodation, nutrition and ammunition eased many of the practical difficulties that had previously weighed on her preparation.

“Getting into the SAI NCOE changed everything. It removed many of the worries that had been holding me back and allowed me to focus on becoming a better shooter every single day,” she said.

The results followed. Vidarsa claimed her first international medal at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship, before going on to secure selection for her maiden Asian Games.

Even with the scale of the upcoming assignment, she remains focused on her own progression rather than comparing herself with the other shooters around her.

“I don’t compete against other shooters. I compete against myself. My focus is always on following my process and becoming a better version of myself. If I do that consistently, the results will come.”

Vidarsa also credited the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for providing what she described as a transparent, performance-driven system in which athletes can earn opportunities through consistent results.

“One thing I truly appreciate about the NRAI is that the entire system is based on performance. As an athlete, you know that if you perform consistently, you will earn opportunities and the support needed to progress. There is complete transparency in the selection process, which gives every shooter the confidence that their hard work will be rewarded. Once I started performing, the entire support system—from the High-Performance team to the coaches and support staff—was always there to guide me, listen to my concerns and help me improve,” Vidarsa stated.

She added that having access to an open channel with the federation has also strengthened her confidence as an athlete.

“What I also value is that athletes have an open platform to share their concerns. Even the NRAI President, Mr. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, is approachable and willing to listen if we have any issues or suggestions. That gives athletes a lot of confidence because you know your voice matters,” she added.

Her influence has now extended beyond her own career. Inspired by Vidarsa, her younger brother, who had been preparing for civil services and an MBA, has taken up shooting and is training as a pistol shooter.

With her Asian Games debut approaching, Vidarsa is refusing to treat the occasion differently from any other competition.

“Whether it’s the Asian Games, a World Cup or a national competition, my approach doesn’t change. Practice is where champions are made. If I give my best every day in training, I know I’ll give my best in competition too.”

For an athlete who once began with a borrowed rifle and nearly walked away from the sport, the Asian Games represent a significant milestone. Yet Vidarsa's ambitions extend well beyond Aichi-Nagoya.

“My biggest dream is to become World No. 1. I want to discover my full potential and keep improving every time I step onto the range.”

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