"Multitasking is helping me stay calm at the shooting ranges" - Ace pistol shooter Shri Nivetha

Supporting her father at the family-run motorpump manufacturing unit in Coimbatore has enabled Shri Nivetha to stay calm at the shooting ranges, the international pistol shooter has said.

The 26-year-old from Tamil Nadu bagged silver behind Olympian Manu Bhaker in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the recent 64th National Shooting Championship in New Delhi.

"To take my mind off shooting, I'm spending time learning the family business. If I am not traveling for competitions or attending national camps, I ensure I’m working along with my father post-lunch to learn the nitty-gritty of the business. Multitasking is helping me stay calm at the shooting ranges," Nivetha told Sportskeeda in an interview.

The ace shooter spends her mornings practicing at the shooting ranges in Coimbatore, while her evenings are devoted to physical fitness. She said her philosophy of taking her mind off shooting after morning practice and getting involved in the family business is key to her recent success.

“Winning silver in a highly competitive field was my best performance till date in the Nationals,” she said.

Bhaker won gold and Hyderabad’s Esha Singh took bronze.

Nivetha also qualified for the eight-shooter final in the women’s 25m pistol event.

The Tamil Nadu girl had won the 10m air pistol bronze in the senior women's category at the 2017 Nationals, but didn't make it to the podium the following year. In 2019, she failed to make it to the eight-shooter final in the Nationals, while the 2020 calendar was disrupted by Covid-19.

In 2021, Nivetha won team gold in women’s 10m air pistol at the World Cup held in New Delhi and finished fourth in the individual 10m air pistol event.

Speaking about the recent Nationals, she said: "A positive approach is one of the key factors in winning the 10m air pistol silver medal in the women’s group this year."

"The main aim during the 24-shot final was to concentrate on one shot at a time. Since I was able to shut my mind to the outside world, I was able to entirely focus on my fundamental skills during the finals," added Nivetha, who won individual gold in women’s 10m air pistol at the 2019 SAF Games.

Nivetha’s immediate aim is to cement her place in the national squad. "My focus is to qualify for the 2022 Asian Games and win an individual medal,” she concluded.