Joydeep Karmakar interview: "I'll shoot, and let the scorers count - why should I worry about scores!"

Joydeep Karmakar‘s dreams have come true. He has made the Olympic cut by qualifying in the 50m rifle event. Karmakar already has a silver medal in the World Cup to boast of, and now this Bong boy hopes to make a bang with his performance in London. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda correspondent Taruka Srivastav, Karmakar spoke about his feelings ahead of the Games.

Q. You have qualified for the Olympics for the first time. Has this achievement sunk in yet?

Karmakar: Yes, this is the first time I have qualified for the Games, and I couldn’t have asked for more. I feel like all those years of hard work have paid off, and I am looking forward to give my best out there.

Q. Shooting is an expensive sport and requires bullets, guns and vast ranges to practice, none of which come cheap. Have you faced any hindrances in playing this sport? Did you always have proper facilities at your disposal for you to enhance your skills?

Karmakar: Initially there were indeed several big hurdles, but my passion for the sport overpowered them! Often I had to do dry training (without ammunition) or shadow practice – I didn’t even have a personal gun until recently. The constraints frustrated me quite a bit but I was determined to go ahead, so I kept picking myself up. And now, after all those years, I realize that while the financial problems did cause a delay in my career, they also helped me fill up on treasure-chest of experience, and that too for free!

I think it’s very true that if a person has the guts to go out of his comfort zone, he can achieve outstanding results. Though the initial stages for a shooter may hit lags, if he or she is really good and reaches a certain level, our country does provide a lot of support to such a shooter.

Q. You were facing some problems regarding Government grants for your training and tournaments. Have those grants been sanctioned, or are they still on hold?

Karmakar: I thought that the fund would be sanctioned but got a shock when it was rejected by the Government last week! So far the reason is not clear, but the federation NRAI is pursuing the matter. On my return to India on Tuesday I will meet the officials of NRAI and discuss the proceedings.

The rejection of the fund request is specially upsetting because I’ve just started training under renowned coach Heinz Reinkemeier (also coach of Abhinav Bindra), and I have already seen some promising results and significant improvements. We will again start intensive training from 7th of June in Germany, but our Olympic dreams will be shattered if the fund is not granted in time.

Q. How much of an effect do you think Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore‘s silver medal and Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal have had on the Indian shooting scene? Do you think your current fame and popularity would not have been possible without the medals won by those two?

Karmakar: Yes, the Olympic medals won by our shooters have definitely changed the shooting scenario in India drastically. People regard shooting with respect now, and parents have started considering it as a career option for their children too. All the positive attention at the time of the Olympics or even the Commonwealth Games is also extremely welcome from the point of view of gaining more followers. In spite of shooting being considered as a fringe sport in the media, I think it is one of India’s prime sports, at least in terms of our international achievements in it.

Q. What do you have to say about Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore not being selected because of missing the selection camp? Do you think it is fair?

Karmakar: Missing the camp was not really the cause for RVS’s exclusion. He is an amazing shooter and his selection would have been perfectly justified. But according to the new selection policy by NRAI, only consistency and international results can get you into the team. So you can well imagine the incredible talent pool in Indian shooting that an Olympic medalist couldn’t make the cut for the team!

Q. What do you have to say in response to claims that shooting is not a ‘sport’? Do you think shooting requires athleticism and fitness levels comparable with other sports like, say, football or tennis?

Karmakar: Shooting doesn’t require fitness levels comparable with tennis or soccer, but the mental involvement in it is huge. Even a small bit of adrenaline is can be detrimental in shooting! It’s a different sport altogether, but it is a full time SPORT, which is evident from the fact that it has been a part of the modern Olympics since the 1st edition in 1894! The concentration focus level that it demands is tremendous, and the ability to be strategic and alert towards change of weather conditions requires high analytic knowledge. It’s not just about hitting a target; being there in a calm frame of mind and visualizing micro muscle movements to balance a powerful exploding machine between heartbeats – that is what shooting is all about!

Q. Is it true that you want Sourav Ganguly to cheer you on in the London Olympics?

Karmakar: Saurav and I met at a book launch party recently, and discussed some sports topics including the Olympics. Saurav said he might be there in London at the time of Olympics, and I invited him to watch my match on 3rd August. That’s about it.

Q. Just a month and few days left for the London Olympics. How is the training going on? Do you think you can make a podium finish?

Karmakar: I am not thinking of any podium finish or medals now. It’s my first Olympics and I have a few more important tasks at hand to prepare myself for the Games. Unnecessary expectations disproportionate to training or preparation have failed many dreams before, so I just want be relaxed, and be more focused to my sport than worry about results. There are many scorers who are paid hefty amounts for their job in London, and I’ll let them do their job. I’ll shoot, and let them count – why should I worry about scores! That said, I’m happy with my preparation so far, and with a new rifle and coach, hopefully my chances will improve even further.