This Para Shooter Has Rebuilt His Life And A Tokyo Berth Is On The Cards Next Year

When Sriharsha Devaraddi was doing well and rising fast in the insurance and banking sector, a road accident in 2013 changed things.

As per a TOI report, he became a quadriplegic. The man saw things go from bad to worse but decided to meet the challenge head-on. He was supported by his wife and parents in this effort.

Fast forward to 2020, Sriharsha is in the national para shooting squad. He is also aiming for a spot in the Tokyo Paralympics.

"I had a freak shot of zero at the World Championships in Sydney and my wife was in tears. Though I fought back with a string of high scores, I missed the qualification mark by three points," he told TOI.

"Managing each month is a challenge but I'm doing it with the help of well-wishers. First, it was the VRL group and the latest is shooter Apurvi Chandela's mother who has contributed Rs 1 lakh," he added.

Sports Narad

"I began driving a modified car in 2016. Once we were driving past a shooting academy when my son said he wanted to look around. When he came back, the shooting instructor was also with him and soon I was introduced to para shooting. I couldn't do pistol shooting as my hand is curled. I chose the rifle instead as I could use a modified trigger. I competed in my first Nationals in Kerala without any equipment and won a bronze medal in 2017. Next year, I bagged two silver and last year in Bhopal, I won two gold medals," he went on to say.

In 2019 he won 2 silvers at the Sharjah IWAS Games.

"The Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) work between Hubballi and Dharwad was on then. I was not speeding but owing to the poor condition of the road, I skidded and landed on my neck with my helmet firmly strapped on. From there, I couldn't get up," he said looking back at what happened 7 years ago.

"Rakesh sir set up an electronic target at my house. I shoot from the drawing-room and the pellet travels through the kitchen to hit the target in the bedroom. To avoid any mishaps we lock the doors and tell people not to come during those two hours of training. There is no one around except me and my loader - it's mostly my wife or my mother, who also knows what to do," he said.

TOI

His next chance for a Tokyo berth is at the qualifiers in Al Ain, UAE February 2021 or in Lima, Peru in June.