From serving in the army to representing India at Paralympics, this shooter’s journey is an inspiration for many

Every morning, Amir Ahmad Bhat begins his day running, followed by cycling and meditation. Then, till early afternoon, he engages in an intensive eight-hour training in shooting.

Bhat, a junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army, is all set to represent India in the Paris Paralympics 2024 as part of the Indian para shooting team in 25-metres pistol shooting. He is the first para shooter from the Army and from Kashmir to qualify for the Paralympics.

From being the child who always dreamt of joining the Indian Air Force to winning various medals for India on the global stage in pistol shooting, Bhat has come a long way.

Bhat hails from Damhal, a small village in Kashmir’s Anantnag district. After completing 10th grade, he wanted to continue his education. However, he had to walk 3 kilometers every day to attend high school as his region lacked proper institutions for higher education.

His father is a plumber with limited income. Although their family faced significant financial challenges, Bhat’s father never asked him to give up on his dream of joining the Indian Air Force.

“Every year, I watched the Indian Air Force parade on Republic Day and dreamt of joining the armed forces,” shares Bhat.

However, due to financial constraints, he could not join the Indian Air Force. Instead, he decided to join the Army and make his way ahead.

After completing his 12th standard, Bhat joined the Indian Army in 2012 as a junior commissioned officer.

During his first three years in the Army, he developed a keen liking for shooting.

“When I joined the Indian Army, initially, we were trained for basic shooting, and my performance was consistently good. This piqued my interest in shooting eventually,” he explains.

In 2015, Bhat took the test for a sniping course in the Army and impressed everyone with a headshot. He was among the 30 snipers selected for the course from all the forces in India. Bhat received the highest grading in the trials after the programme. He then became a sniper in the Army’s commando team for special operations.

Bhat participated in various shooting competitions within the Army. However, his life took a turn during a special operation in 2018.

He was involved in an accident in a mine, resulting in the loss of his heel and adjoining bones, including the talus (bone in the ankle joint) and calcaneus (heel bone). He had to undergo a surgery to insert metal plates and bolts in place of the missing bones.

“I was in the hospital for a very long period of time. I still remember the pain when they used to clean the wound. After the accident, I felt I would not be able to play any longer,” he says.

“This accident was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting."

Thanks to his Army training, he was mentally strong enough to overcome the challenges and recover.

After his return to the Army in 2021, Bhat became an instructor and trained the special forces. During one of the training sessions, his commanding officer noticed his long range shooting skills and suggested that he participate in the Paralympics.

The commanding officer then recommended him to the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow. Soon Bhat joined the unit and started training in the 50-metre rifle event. However, in order to form a proper team, he was asked to switch to the pistol team.

But since he had never tried pistol shooting before, it was a challenge for him. He began practising in the 10-m and 25-m pistol events, and within just three months of shooting with a pistol, he won a silver medal at the zonal competition in March 2022.

Since then there has been no going back for Bhat.

“I believe equipment is not that important but what matters is your mindset, control, and your skills,” he says.

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Reaching new heights

Bhat became the first para shooter of the Indian Army to win an international medal (bronze) at the World Shooting Para Sports World Cup held in Changwon, Korea in May 2023. He has also won a silver medal at the World Shooting Para Sports World Cup 2023 at Osijek, Croatia in July.

Recently, Bhat won a silver medal at P3 - 25m Pistol SH1 and a bronze medal at P4 - 50m Pistol SH1 at the World Shooting Para Sports World Cup held in Changwon, Korea, in April and May this year.

Of all his achievements, Bhat specifically recalls the one when he won a team gold medal at the World Shooting Para Sports World Championship at Lima, Peru in September 2023.

“I remember that day vividly. My heart felt full after bringing that medal back home. Seeing the Indian flag flying high made me feel proud and happy that our team could bring honour to our country,” he says.

Bhat says all his achievements have been made possible because of the support he has received from his family, the Indian Army, and the Reliance Foundation.

The Indian Army provides him with coaches and equipment, while the Reliance Foundation has been supporting Bhat in the areas of psychology, physiotherapy, and nutrition since April this year.

“My psychologist from Reliance Foundation motivated me the night before my selection trials, and she reminded me about what I was competing for. Throughout this journey she has helped me with a lot of mind training exercises, and her efforts are a big reason as to why I qualified for the Paralympics,” says Bhat.

He also expresses his gratitude to his parent unit commanding officer, Colonel Dheeraj Gupta, for his support and motivation throughout his journey.

He emphasises that, in the past, only a handful of young people from his village joined the armed forces, but now there are 30 to 40 people serving. He says encouraging young people and serving as a role model for them has given him a strong sense of purpose.

Bhat looks forward to the Paris Paralympics and wishes to make India proud again.

"My goal is to win this upcoming Paralympics and represent India many more times, bringing back as many medals as possible. I also aspire to inspire other young athletes to step forward and compete for our country.”

(The copy was updated with more details.)