CHENNAI : Shooter Dhanush Srikant has been caught between the devil and the deep sea for a few years now. Born with a hearing impairment, he was forced to use a hearing aid. But every time he used it in practice or competition, the ear-splitting noise of the pellets being fired would get amplified to an uncomfortable degree.The Telangana boy, who began shooting three years ago, didn’t have a choice. “We asked him to use it because it was difficult during competitions. Sometimes he wouldn’t hear the sound of the shot too. So we convinced him to start wearing it during training and also during matches. Over the last few months, we have tried to develop that habit,” former shooter Neha Chavan, who has been working with Dhanush, said.
That habit bore fruit as Dhanush made headlines after winning the U-21 men’s 10m rifle final in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games. He upstaged two-time junior World Cup bronze winner Arjun Babuta, after bettering his personal best with 629.7 during qualifiers and following it up with 248.9 in the final.
A product of the Project Leap programme run by Gagan Narang’s Gun For Glory (GFG), Dhanush had a cochlear implant when he was just one. Since then, gestures and sign language have been an integral part of his life. Narang is a delighted man and hopes that he can build on this inspiring display. “Very satisfied. He is a keen observer and used to watch me train. He has a long way to go. We will groom him slowly and provide him with whatever support is needed,” the London Olympics bronze medallist said. “There is a procedure that everyone needs to follow. It’s going to be tough but an exciting journey with him.”
Learning the nuances of the game is hard, but doing that in sign language is even harder. For his coaches too, it was something new, a big challenge. “The other shooters at the academy can at least communicate their issues with us. On the other hand, he couldn’t do the same, share his emotions. So he would always complain and ask ‘why am I not getting 10.8 or 10.9?’. He always aimed for the best. So we would have to sit down and explain to him that 10.9 is not everything. Our challenge was to get him out of it,” Neha revealed.
Not so long ago, the 16-year-old, who trains in GFG in Trimulgherry, had shown promise during the national trials in New Delhi, finishing fourth among seniors. Neha, who has been associated with GFG for four-and-a-half years, said that communication is much smoother now. “Now, communication is not a big problem. So, we have been able to focus on the technical aspect and help him grow.”
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