The narrow, unpaved street leading to Kirti Sharma’s house in Ritauli village was suddenly filled with people, as neighbours started streaming in to congratulate the family of the girl who had just put her village on the Asian Games map with a gold medal in an event that hardly anyone in the area knew about — recurve archery.
Kirti won the gold medal in the women’s recurve team event as part of a team comprising Ankita Bhakat and Kumkum Mohod, defeating the South Korean team.
The modest house, which requires a fresh coat of paint, has a room where a number of medals won by Kirti hang on the walls. “This will have the coveted Asian Games gold medal on the top of all these medals,” said Vijay Sharma, a farmer who owns three acres of land.
He said the gold medal was not just a reward for years of practice for the family. “It is also a reminder of a decision we took when there was no guarantee that the investment would ever bring a return,” he said.
Vijay Sharma recalled that when his daughter first took up archery at a school in Pillukhera, the nearby town, the family thought it would cost just around Rs 5,000 to purchase the equipment and that would be enough. They soon discovered that the sport demanded far more than they had imagined.
As Kirti progressed and was selected for training at the Sports Authority of India, she needed better equipment. The cost of the equipment was around Rs 60,000. Her father borrowed money from arhtiyas to buy it.
“I took a loan from arhtiyas to buy the equipment. I decided to fulfil all her demands because I wanted to see my daughter happy and succeed,” he said, adding that he returned the loan in instalments later on.
“I am happy that my daughter’s efforts have paid off,” he said.
Kirti’s mother, Guddi Devi, said that she called her on the phone after she won the gold medal, sharing her happiness with the family.
Father Vijay Sharma said the traditions and social customs prevalent in Haryana’s rural society put pressure on families, with the belief that investing in shaping the career of a daughter makes little sense because she will eventually marry and become part of another family.
“This is wrong thinking. I never believed in it,” he said.
Kirti’s brother, Gaurav Sharma, is pursuing BTech.
Her achievement has added another chapter to the growing list of Haryanvi women making their mark beyond the state’s traditional sporting strongholds of wrestling and boxing. Neeru Dhanda, Kirti Sharma and Kiran Pahal have emerged as household names through their achievements in shooting, archery and athletics.
The performances of these girls have become a symbol of how Haryana’s girls continue to overcome adversities such as financial constraints and societal biases.
