Started for Better Living, Representing India Today; Pravin Jadhav Story from Satara to Tokyo

Playing in Olympic Games, representing National Team is definitely a thoughest dreme ever for any athelete and sportsperson. India's dubutant in Olympics this year archer Pravin Jadhav too never in his dream had thought of representing India in the Olympics and that too in a sport alien to him.

From the small village, Satara in Maharashtra to Tokyo in Olympics, it's never easy to tackel the unwanted yet uncontrollable difficulties, financial state and at the same time to focus on your mental peace to play a sport like that. But Jadhav did it!

"Our condition was really bad then. My family had already told me to drop out in class 7 and join my father on the construction site," Jadhav recalled in an interaction with PTI.

One fine day, Jadhav's sports teacher at his Zilla Parishad School in Sarade, Vikas Bhujbal, found some promise in him and asked him to compete in athletics to earn a better living.

"Bhujbal sir told me to start running and take part in competitions. 'At least you would get to earn a better living here and won't have to go for daily wage so I started running 400-800 metres."

Archery came his way by accident at the Krida Prabodhini hostel in Ahmednagar when he was selected for the sport during a drill when he threw 10 out of 10 balls in a ring from a 10-metre distance. He has not looked back since then and his family is also no longer grappling with poverty.

He finally cemented his Tokyo berth in style, topping the selection trials for the Olympics with his score of 2727 and won six out of seven one-on-one matches to go past the much-acclaimed Rai and Das.

"I learnt the sport from Sunil Thakre Sir at Amravati and then Praful Dange Sir continued with me before I joined the Army," Jadhav added.