DAV College Chandigarh' sports legacy - Five students in the Asian Games shooting squad  

By Saurabh Duggal

Adding another feather to the sports legacy of DAV College Chandigarh, five of its students - Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu, and Adarsh Singh (all studying in MA 2nd year Public Administration) along with Palak (BA 1st year) - have made it to the Indian shooting squad for the Asian Games (September 23 to October 8).

Lately, DAV College has emerged as one of the most preferred educational institutes for elite shooters in the country.

The DAV College shooters comprise one-sixth of the Indian shooting squad (five out of 30), and all five are pistol shooters, accounting for nearly half of the country's pistol shooting squad for the continental games (five out of 11) - Manu (25m Sports Pistol), Vijayveer Sidhu & Adarsh Singh (25m Rapid Fire Pistol), Palak & Sarabjot Singh (10m Air Pistol).

"DAV College Chandigarh has a rich sports legacy, and the environment here is conducive to sports. The college provides the best facilities to its players and contributes to their pursuit of sports excellence," says Associate Professor Amanendra Mann, who is heading the College's sports department.

The first shooter from the college to compete in the Asian Games was Chetanpreet Nilon (2010). Since then, the college has been one of the most sought-after colleges for the country's top shooters.

The college has to its credit Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian meet, World Cup, World University shooting medallists, and the count is ongoing.

In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, its postgraduate student Yashaswini Deswal was part of the Indian shooting team.

Naming a few, shooters Anjum Moudgil, Malaika Goel, Hema KC, Ajitesh Kaushal, and Ankush Bhardwaj were also students of the college and won many laurels for the country during their stint at the institute.

Mann, along with another faculty member, Associate Professor Shruti Shourie, carried out a University Grants Commission (UGC)-funded research project 'Psychological skills training programme for rifle and pistol shooters to enhance their performance levels’ from 2013-15. The research manual is still benefiting the shooters and other sportspersons on the psychological training front.