Archer Rajat Chauhan’s ‘silver’ victory run in Jaipur

Winning medals has become a customary thing for

Jaipur-based archer Rajat Chauhan

. So when the 23-year-old landed at the Sanganer airport on Friday, after bagging a silver medal in compound archery at Asian Games (along with Abhishek Verma and Aman Saini), he was not at all surprised to see a sea of people shouting his name as he came out of the airport. He was greeted by hundreds of people who were waiting for him to welcome him with garlands and escort him to a decorated car, cheering for him along the way. Also present were his parents, Tarachand and Nirmala Chauhan, sister Rachna and brother Rishabh.

Rajat’s family and friends greet him at the Jaipur airport

Rajat’s family and friends greet him at the Jaipur airport‘I COULD MAKE INDIA PROUD BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT OF JAIPURITES’
Rajat tells us, “I could hear people cheering and shouting from inside the airport. I am overwhelmed with the kind of love and blessings the people of my city are pouring on me. It is because of their support and wishes that I could make my country proud.”

I have to focus on training to become a world champaion
Rajat, who was in men’s team with Aman Saini and Abhishek Verma, played in compound category at Asiad. His father, Tarachand Chauhan, says, “My son is real gold and will be a world champion one day.” And it’s not just his father’s dream, the archer too is aiming for winning the world championship. Rajat tells us, “Mera ek sapna hai ki log mujhe dekhkar kahe ‘yeh hai world champion Rajat Chauhan!’ Aur iss dream ko pura karne ke liye mujhe bahut hard work karna hai.”

Jaipurites’ ‘rocking’ wishes for Rajat (holding his silver medal) outside the Jaipur airport

RAJAT CHAUHAN’S PAST RECORDS
In 2014, Chauhan became the first Indian compound archer to qualify for the Archery World Cup finals. In the same year, he won the gold medal in Incheon Asian Games. Chauhan created history by winning a silver medal in the

World Archery Championships in Copenhagen

in 2015. Now, the archer wants to focus on

Asia Championship 2019

and World Championship 2019. He tells us, “Its a long road and I need to concentrate on my training and put in efforts to be truly known as a world champion.”


Pictures by Shalini Maheshwari/BCCL