In 2013, Sriharsha Devardi was working as a field manager for an insurance company. Cut to June 2022, he was soaking in victory at the Chateauroux Para Shooting World Cup in France. The 41-year-old Devardi won the gold medal in the Para Shooting World Cup in the R4-mixed 10m rifle standings SH2 with a score of 253.1. He is also the second Indian to secure a quota for the 2024 Paris Paralympics by winning a gold medal.
However, the long journey of nine years from becoming an insurance marketer in 2013 to a podium finish at the Para Shooting World Cup in 2022 was not without challenges. Devardi had a face-off with an accident in 2013, when she sustained a spinal injury after she fell on a gravel-laden road from her two-wheeler. He was declared 75 percent quadriplegic after the accident.
talking to indianexpress.com From Paris, Devardi said, “I was a sportsman during my college days and used to play badminton. However, after my accident, I felt the need to support myself and joined an NGO as a program associate to conduct skill development classes. But the player in me kept nagging me. I realized that I would not be able to fit in physically demanding sports. That’s when I thought I should shoot, where I can aim and shoot from a wheelchair,” said Devaraddi, who joined a shooting academy in Hubli in 2017.
Devardi later moved to Bengaluru to take advantage of better training facilities, as he realized that there was a shortage of certified shooters in the training academy in Hubballi. “I moved to Bengaluru because the shooting academy in Hubli gave poor training. This affected my performance and I was forced to shift to Bangalore. Most of my training expenses were borne by my parents’ pension and my wife Shobha has also been very supportive. We moved to Bengaluru and stayed in a PG as our finances were not strong,” said Devaraddi, who later started training under shooter Rakesh Manpat.
Devardi was advised to take up training under the SH2 category, which is meant for people with disabilities and those affected by spinal cord injury. “It was very difficult for me to press the trigger as there was no strength in my hands. However, the provisions of the International Paralympic Committee guidelines for flexibility and extension and the use of spring stands helped me. My wife is my loader and she contributed more than 50 percent of my winnings.
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Devardi won a bronze medal on her debut at the National Para-shooting Championships in 2017-18. The following year, he won two silver medals at the national championships. He also won two silver medals at the IWAS (International Wheelchair Amputee Sports) World Games 2019 held in Sharjah. He participated in the World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) World Cup held in Osijek, Croatia in July 2019 and qualified for the WSPS World Championship held in Sydney, Australia in 2019 as part of the Indian contingent.
Devardi was selected by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and also went on to become a certified para shooter.
He competed in the 50m rifle event at the Para Shooting World Cup on Friday but secured a low ranking. “The rifles you need for 50 meters have a greater range, and cannot be easily accessed. The export regulations for these rifles are tough and I had to borrow the rifle from a fellow participant,” said Devaraddi.
Talking about his takeaway from para shooting so far, he said, “Shooting has taught me to test my abilities and see how far I can go. When I’m shooting, I forget my disability and that I’m in a wheelchair. Everything I see is my goal. I want to appeal National Rifle Association To encourage and support the training of para shooters of India, access to a higher range of rifles and to regulate shooting academies with certified instructors. ,