The Indian Army’s sole role over the years was guarding the country until now when it has undertaken another task – producing Olympic champions. It aims to achieve this through its new talent-generating programme – ‘Mission Olympics’.
Under Indian Army’s Mission Olympics, ten soldiers have so far been qualified for the Rio Olympics to be held in August this year.
These include, Naib Subedar Jitu Rai, who has won the quota for shooting in 50m Air Pistol. During 51st ISSF World Championship in Granada, Spain he qualified for the Rio by winning silver medal. The Gurkha Regiment soldier is presently training in Mhow. Besides Rai, two more army soldiers have booked birth for various shooting events.
Others are Hav Sandeep Singh from Jat Regiment, selected for athletics in 50 kilometre walk event. Hav Nitender Singh Rawat from Kumaon Regiment, Hav Kheta Ram from Jat Regiment and Hav Gopi T from the Artillery Regiment have also been selected for Athletics full marathon category. All these athletes are training in Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune.
Hav Ganapathi and Hav Devender Singh have been selected for athletics in 20km walk. Madras regiment’s Hav Irfan KT too qualified for Rio during National Open Race Walking Championship. And the latest to join the list is Dattu Bhokanal, who has been qualified for Olympics under rowing.
The ‘Mission Olympics’ was launched in 2001 to groom youngsters into potential Olympic medal winners. The entire programme is an elaborate process of creating international facilities, scientific backup, hiring of the best coaches including foreign nationals and consistent monitoring of the athletes.
Indian Army has identified 10 disciplines, in which it believes India stands a chance to win a medal. These are athletics, diving, archery, weightlifting, boxing, rowing, sailing, wrestling, equestrian and shooting.
The Army is also creating a massive sports complex in Pune where 200 athletes can reside and train on Olympic-standard facilities. Army Sports Nodes are also being set up at 10 places for the 10 disciplines.
Some training facilities of the Olympics hopeful of the Army include:
Meerut, where a 260 acres sprawling campus of Army Equestrian Centre is spread. It is the only training centre of the world which has the facility for horse racing.
At Mhow, practice session for shooters aiming for Olympics is at its peak at the Army Marksmen Unit.
At Mumbai, located is Army Yachting Node (AYN). It has been giving sailing lessons to the participants who would be struggling to win an Olympic medal.
In the city of Pune, the weight lifters are trained who will be able to qualify for a national/international level competition.
Other facilities include the Army Sports Institute at Pune, where personnel are trained for athletics, archery, boxing, diving, weightlifting, wrestling and fencing.
As evident, the Indian Army has laid out the road map for a concerted vision for maximum qualifications for the Rio Olympics with the aim of ‘finishing strong’ at the podium with medals for the country. The Army is already recruiting young athletes to the post of a Havildar as motivation who have performed well in junior and sub-junior levels.
This is definitely be a proud moment for all the Army fraternity along with the nation. We at SSBCrack salute all the participants and wish them all their luck to bag a medal for India this Rio Olympics.
