Hearing-impaired shooting champion Dhanush awaits Telangana govt support
Shooter Dhanush Srikanth, who won three gold in the World Championship for the hearing impaired last week, with his parents.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
For 22-year-old shooter Dhanush Srikanth, it has been a pretty long wait for the much desired financial assistance from Telangana government despite striking gold in almost every international meet over the last couple of years.
“Hopefully, Dhanush’s latest achievement of two golds in the world championship for the hearing impaired in Germany in the 10m air rifle event should at least now bring some luck for us,” says his mother, Asha Srikanth.
Dhanush Srikanth (on the left) and Mahit Sandhu clinched mixed air rifle gold in the second World deaf shooting championship in Hannover, Germany.
Even as the State government has been generous in giving cash incentives and house sites to other distinguished athletes from Hyderabad, Mr. Dhanush somehow seemed to be out of the radar of the officials concerned.
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“Every time Dhanush comes back with gold mostly from an international meet, it is regular routine to meet the Sports Minister and officials seeking help. The response has only been confined to mere assurances. Not a single paisa has been paid to us so far,” says Asha, adding, “Everyone knows it is never easy to let their child pursue a career in sports, especially shooting, which is so expensive.”
Dhanush, who also won two golds in the 2022 Brazil Deaflympics, has been equally good competing in the regular category too, not just in the ‘special’ category. The first-year degree Student (Distance Education) is struggling at the most crucial phase of his career when he is targeting a medal in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“We would have been completely shattered but for the support of Dhanush’s mentor Gagan Narang (London Olympics bronze medallist), who saw to it that Dhanush got some help from the Olympic Gold Quest and the TOPS scheme,” asserts Asha.
Mr. Dhanush’s fighting spirit separates him from the rest, she says. “Even yesterday when he won two golds in the Worlds, he said he should get even better scores. He is least ruffled by the pressures of the shooting range thanks to his coach Neha Chavan at Gun For Glory Shooting Academy in Chennai and Hyderabad where he trains regularly,” she points out.
Nevertheless the shooter and his parents are hoping that the State government helps him reach the ultimate dream of winning an Olympic medal.
Published – September 11, 2024 11:11 am IST
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