Para shooter relies on grit to reclaim life | More sports News – Times of India

Sriharsha fights back from crippling accident, puts himself in reckoning for Tokyo berth
BENGALURU: At a time when he was rapidly climbing up the corporate ladder in the insurance and banking sector, a road accident on February 5, 2013 near his hometown in Hubballi not only threw Sriharsha Devaraddi off his motorbike but shattered his life.
Reduced to a quadriplegic, Sriharsha, 33, saw the world crumble around him but had the willpower to fight back with the support of his wife and parents, for whom he is the only son.
Seven years later, Sriharsha is part of the national para shooting squad, the only one from the state, and is working hard to win a quota place for the Tokyo Paralympics. “I had a freak shot of zero at the World Championships in Sydney and my wife was in tears. Though I fought back with a string of high scores, I missed the qualification mark by three points,” the rifle shooter, who competes in the 10m air rifle prone and standing categories, told TOI.
A full-time shooter now, who is managing each month on his wheelchair with the support of corporates and well-wishers, Sriharsha is at the Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence for a one-month specialized training under coach Rakesh Manpat.
“Managing each month is a challenge but I’m doing it with the help of well-wishers. First it was the VRL group and the latest is shooter Apurvi Chandela‘s mother who has contributed Rs 1 lakh,” said Sriharsha, who, with 75 per cent disability, competes in the SH 2 category.
Recalling his comeback from the accident, Sriharsha said: “I began driving a modified car in 2016. Once we were driving past a shooting academy when my son said he wanted to look around. When he came back, the shooting instructor was also with him and soon I was introduced to para shooting.”
“I couldn’t do pistol shooting as my hand is curled. I chose the rifle instead as I could use a modified trigger. I competed in my first Nationals in Kerala without any equipment and won a bronze medal in 2017. Next year, I bagged two silver and last year in Bhopal, I won two gold medals,” he said.
At the international level last year, Sriharsha won two silver medals at the Sharjah IWAS Games. He competed in the World Cup in Croatia where he settled for the 14th place before enduring the heartbreak in Sydney.
But then, it was nothing compared to what he underwent in 2013 as he returned home from work on his bike. “The Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) work between Hubballi and Dharwad was on then. I was not speeding but owing to the poor condition of the road, I skidded and landed on my neck with my helmet firmly strapped on. From there, I couldn’t get up,” Sriharsha recalled.
After remaining on medical leave for a year, Sriharsha quit his job. Keeping himself motivated with shooting was not easy either until coach Rakesh visited him last September to boost his morale. “Rakesh sir set up an electronic target at my house. I shoot from the drawing room and the pellet travels through the kitchen to hit the target in the bedroom. To avoid any mishaps we lock the doors and tell people not to come during those two hours of training. There is no one around except me and my loader – it’s mostly my wife or my mother, who also knows what to do.”
Sriharsha’s next chance to earn a quota place is at the qualifying meet in Al Ain, UAE next February or in Lima, Peru in June. And as he drives back to Hubballi in his modified car, taking along with him a young shooter from Hubballi to continue with his training at home, Sriharsha is hopeful of improving his skills and making the grade. If he gets more support he is ready to be back in Bengaluru for another training camp.