Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], Feb. 7 : At a time when our Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about the upliftment of Divyangs on social, moral and economic grounds, the dreams of a Divyang rifle shooter, who has been selected for the Para Shooting World Cup 2017 in United Arab Emirates (UAE), might be shattered as he is unable to bear the expenses for the tournament.
Ilyas Vohra, the Divyang rifle shooter in Vadodara, has 70 percent disability in both his hands and legs and is the only shooter from Gujarat to be selected for Para Shooting World Cup to be held from February 18-28 in Ul-Aain, UAE.
The 30-year-old shares his story as to how his passion for the sport encouraged him to overpower his disability and do wonders.
"I took part in the shooting events in 'Prerna', a national level event organised every year for Divyangs at the MSU Faculty of Technology and Engineering," Ilyas tells ANI.
"I started participating from 2013. I won that championship that year and won the upcoming championships in 2014 and 2015 as well. I then joined professional training," he adds. From there, Ilyas contacted shooting expert and professional Ravi Patel owner of 10x Shooting Academy and won during the training period he won three gold medals last year.
"I started professional training from April 1, 2016," he said. He won gold in Dr. Karnisingh Memorial All India Open Shooting Championship in Jaipur Rajasthan, 52nd All Gujarat Shooting Championship in Ahmedabad and Pre-National All India G.V.
Mavalakar Shooting Championship in Delhi. "I got fourth rank at National Shooting Championship in Pune. I am now selected for Para Shooting World Cup to be held in Ul-Aai, UAE," he said. However, he tells that his dreams might be shattered because he is unable to arrange the travelling and staying expenses of more than Rs.
two lakhs. "I will be highly shattered if I don't get the financial assistance as I would be unable to make my country proud," he says.
Like our Prime Minister's push to support 'Divyangs', Vhora has also urged people to help him so that he can pursue his dreams.
Source: ANI
