Double delight: Suruchi’s golden triumph lifts spirits of Jhajjar village

Suruchi Phogat (18) has made her hometown proud by clinching two gold medals at the ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru. Her village, Sasroli in Jhajjar district, is now preparing for a grand celebration on her return.

Suruchi’s journey hasn’t been easy. Her father, Inder Singh, a retired Army Havildar, and mother Sudesh Devi, a homemaker, stood by her through every challenge. “We always wanted Suruchi to become a sportsperson,” said Inder Singh. “She began wrestling at age 12, but a collarbone injury forced her to stop. That’s when we chose shooting — a sport with less physical risk and fewer chances of manipulation.”

She began pistol shooting at an academy in Bhiwani, around 50 km from her village. “We used to travel together by bus for her training. Soon, she started winning at junior tournaments and earned a spot on the senior national team,” he recalled.

Now a first-year BA student, Suruchi has over 30 medals to her name, both national and international. “Shooting is expensive — we had to take loans to buy her pistol and fund her training. But every sacrifice has been worth it,” said Inder Singh.

Suruchi first tasted success last month in Argentina, winning two medals, and then went on to win two golds in Lima. “Her dream is to win an Olympic medal for India,” he said. She is expected to return home on April 21.

Her mother Sudesh Devi said, “She loves maal-puda, churma, dal, and desi ghee. That’s how we’ll welcome her — with her favourite traditional dishes made with love.”

Her younger brother has now taken up shooting too, inspired by her success.

Bhateri Devi, Suruchi’s grandmother, called it a proud moment not just for the family but for the entire village. Fellow villagers Satbir and Anil echoed the sentiment, saying they were eagerly awaiting her return.

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Captions:

Suruchi's family shows her medal in Sasroli village, Jhajjar. Photo: Sumit Tharan