Fire in her eyes

No wonder then, the 13-year-old, a product of Chetana Rifle and Shooting Training Academy (CRIPTA), is one of India’s hottest shooting upstarts.

With a score of 327 (out of 400), she set a new record to claim gold at the recently held GV Mavalankar all-India shooting competition, to qualify for her first Nationals. A fortnight ago, she bagged silver at the Bangalore Nationals — with a much below par 300 — behind another Mumbai girl Prachi Dahisarkar.

A score of 327 from 40 shots of an air rifle is an average of 8.18 per shot, making Vaishali the first sub-junior girl ever to shatter the 8-mark. To average eight, Vaishali has to get her air pellets inside a black blob, marginally larger than a rupee coin. Vaishali’s score suggests that every now and then, she hits bull’s eye.

Her performance, surpassing the efforts of shooters much senior to her (the women’s mark at Asansol, 322, was made by Suma Panicker, another girl from Chetana) has come in for special mention from senior India coach Sunny Thomas, who said, “We expect something good from her in the future.” Sanjoy Chakravarthy, who assisted Thomas during the recent Asian Games, said he expected her to begin participating in international events in two-three years.

Vaishali spearheads a fast-growing legacy of shooters at CRIPTA, which draws talent from Chetana College’s NCC wing, headed by Major (Mrs) JV Shirke. Vaishali’s elder sister Sarika is one such cadet, and was responsible for roping Vaishali in. “She used to come home and talk about shooting all the time. That was enough to make me join,” Vaishali says.

Over the last one year, Vaishali, Suma, Poonam Tahiliani, Trupti Rasam, Yogesh Gadmale and Abdul Qayyum Shaikh are shooting stars being thrown up from the portals of this tiny range.

But Vaishali’s poise, and ability, has turned her into coach Mahesh Lohima’s blue-eyed girl. “She’s special,” he says.

Lohima is aware she needs all the financial encouragement she can get. Her father, an attendant at the high court, cannot accommodate the expenses of sport in his meagre salary. Lohima pitches in by sponsoring her for tournaments.

As a shooter usually peaks at around 25, Vaishali has more than ten years ahead of her to smoothen the uncut edges. If she stays on course, and when you speak to her, you know she will, she will be seeking a place in the Olympics squad for 2008. Vaishali, strong-willed, stereotypical Maharashtrian looks, says, “When I am shooting, I feel very confident and cool.”