DNA Web Exclusive: Painting like meditation, says India's CWG silver-medalist shooter Anjum who is eyeing gold in Asiad

With Asian Games 2018 nine days away, all the participants are gearing up for the mega event. In the previous edition of Asian Games, held in Incheon, South Korea, the Indian contingent brought home 57 medals, joint-fifth with Iran on the medal table. 

In the shooting discipline, India clinched eight medals across the events: 1 gold, 1 silver, and 6 bronze. 

The likes of Anjali Bhagwat, Suma Shirur and Deepali Deshpande dominated Indian women's shooting for years. Now along with prodigy like Manu Bhaker, experts have been talking about a 24-year-old shooter from Chandigarh, Anjum Moudgil. She started professional shooting in 2008-09. International success eluded her initially but Moudgil didn't lose hope. 

She justified the faith reposed on her by the coaches by clinching a silver on her maiden appearance at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year. 

Ahead of the Asian Games in Indonesia, in an exclusive chat with DNA, Anjum spoke about how her shooting journey commenced as an NCC cadet, her initial struggles financially and fitness-wise and how she wants to convert her Commonwealth silver into an Asian Games gold. 

Do you remember the first time you used a rifle? 

I remember it really well. My mom took me to a shooting range for the first time in Chandigarh. I used a pistol there. The first time I properly used the weapons was when I joined NCC. Since they didn't have pistols, I shifted to rifle. I remember how I began training with different Indian weapons there before I changed to German-made weapons which we use professionally. It was very complicated back then but now that I know everything, it feels easy. 

What made you choose shooting, professionally? 

When I joined NCC, I instinctively started shooting and then it turned out really good for me. So, I guess it was just those series of events: I did it really well in the beginning, and then started winning domestic competitions, including the ones in NCC. My mom also motivated me a lot because even she had done it at college level. 

What made you join the NCC in the first place?

My mom, Shubh Moudgil, is an ANO officer in NCC so when I was in Grade Eight, she made me join it too. 

Take us through your Initial struggles as a professional shooter.

I had quite a few struggles initially. Not just with injuries, but the tricky ones came when my tenure with NCC got over in 2013-14 and I stopped getting weapons from them. It took me just two years to book a place in the junior team but I suffered a few injuries on my arm, shoulder and my back during my first couple of international competitions. 

That saw a major dip in my performances too. I consulted a physio in Chandigarh who helped me recover from injuries and pain. That's when I realised the value of physical fitness even in a sport like shooting. (Laughs)

On asked how she arranged her weapons, to which she laughed again saying, "I went to my father and he gave me the money to buy weapons. Later I got sponsors as well, GoSports in 2014-15."

Tell us more about GoSports' role so far in your career.

They roped me into their program in 2014 when I was a junior level shooter. But now four years have passed and their support has been unconditional. They have helped me not only with the finances needed for the weapons but also with the required good nutritionists, physios. They have also taken care of my traveling and accommodations during tournaments and training. 

The best part about them is that they help athletes on junior level when the person is still unknown without any medal and they provide all the required support to him/her in the journey of becoming a medalist in the future for India. 

Was there any particular physiotherapist who helped you during the injury phase?

When I had those back injuries during 2014-15 season, I had a couple of sessions at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) with Basant sir (Basant Sen). Although he is a student there, he gives physical fitness sessions. I trained with him for two years and only then I recovered fully from my injuries. 

You got a full-time coach only in 2012. How did you manage your shooting without a coach? 

When I started shooting, there was this group commander in NCC, MS Chouhan, who introduced me to the rifle, with the ones we shoot now. After him, I did not have any specific coach. I didn't have a proper coach for almost three years. I used to just experiment with my shooting, used to ask others for reasons behind struggling to produce desired results. 

In 2012, Deepali Deshpande joined India's junior shooting team as chief coach. Ever since then, I have been training with her. She has cleared all my basics which have helped my performances get better to a great extent. 

It was your maiden CWG. How did you deal with the first-timers' nervousness?

Although I was prepared enough, I was really nervous because of the media hype around CWG. It was just an added pressure because I was experiencing the big level for the very first time in my career. A medal at the CWG along with a world record [CWG qualifying round record] was extremely satisfying.  

When the top three shooters were left and we were still one final shot away, I came to know that I had already won the medal. It was so tough to keep myself calm and end it with a great shot. My heart was pumping and I could barely keep my hands steady. On the hindsight, it was a great learning experience about how to keep calm during extreme pressure and I am glad, I managed to do so successfully. 

Picture Courtesy: PTI

Take us through your Asian Games preparations.

I had a training camp towards the end of July in Delhi. I had another one there from August 1. We will then fly to Indonesia for a small camp on August 13 before the tournament kicks off. Right now, I'm really focusing on physical fitness, finetuning all technical elements. I have also changed my equipment, so let's see how it goes. 

Are you perfectly fit for the Asiad?

Yes, yes. I really feel perfectly fit ahead of the Asian Games and fingers crossed, I don't get any new injury. 

Tell us about your coach and Indian Olympian Deepali Deshpande. 

Her inclusion in the team in 2012 turned out to be a great news for me. Her support has made a lot of difference in my career and not just me, there are several other shooters who train under her and have benefited from the same. Even when I struggle to explain to her the area of my struggles, she just understands it well so. She just knows shooting inside out and that is really how a coach should be. 

Our Indian senior shooting team has a foreign coach, Oleg Mikhailov, who is from Ukraine. He has been with us for one or one and a half years now, I guess. Although I have not had the chance to interact much with him, I hear that he has been great with the other shooters. Moreover, Deepali ma'am and he work in excellent coordination. Whenever either of them want to discuss anything about me, they communicate it well and that he has been helping me a lot. 

Picture Courtesy: PTI

How did you transform into an all-rounder in shooting?

Although I began my career shooting in all the three events -3P, Prone and Air Rifle - as I like challenging myself but I was a bit reluctant in Prone. But then Deepali ma'am helped me a lot there and now I love shooting in all the three events. 

A shooter participating in all the three events on the international level is a rare sight these days. Maybe, that keeps me motivated more than the others. The responsibility of delivering in all the three events keeps me on my toes. I'm always focused on my technical aspect and physical fitness required to do well in all the three events. 

(While Moudgil trains for Air Rifle in Chandigarh, she has to travel to Delhi to practice for 3P and Prone since there is no 50-metre range in her home town. She even comes down to Pune to work with Deshpande when not in the camp.)

Do you think the rule of men and women shooters now going for equal number of shots made the event difficult for you guys?

I don't think so because it's been a year now since the rule came up and we have been following it. Now if one makes a comparison, the men cannot claim that the reason behind a woman shooter's success is the lower difficulty level. I'll speak for myself, it's very challenging and I enjoy it. 

Do you get any advices from Indian women legendary shooters Anjali Bhagwat and Suma Shirur?

I get to talk to them whenever we meet, but nothing specific I remember asking them. All I can learn from them is the way they work and their level of patience.

What do you do to bring in the required level of concentration in shooting?

A little bit was already there naturally. (Laughs) But, yes, for that I paint. Painting has been like meditation for me. When I'm painting, nothing goes in my mind and that has really helped me stay focused and calm and that in turn is good for my shooting. I actually paint professionally as well. I have an Instagram page, where I get orders for my art stuff.