Archer Neeraj Chauhan elated to make Asian Games team, motivated to win medal

Indian archer Neeraj Chauhan was over the moon on getting selected to represent India at the upcoming Asian Games and the Archery World Cup. Neeraj Chauhan finished in the top-three to cement his place in the Indian team.

Neeraj Chauhan is the recipient of financial assiatance from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS)’s Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS).

Like millions of others, the COVID-19 pandemic robbed Neeraj's livelihood. Having lost his job due to the pandemic, Neeraj and his family have resorted to selling vegetables to make ends meet and overcome a financial crunch.

Read: Triumphant para-archer Pooja Jatyan: "My life would be incomplete without archery"

The plight was highlighted by Archery Association of India (AAI) president Arjun Munda and a timely intervention from the then Minister of Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju helped the archer.

The sports minister sanctioned Neeraj and his brother Sunil, who is a national boxer, with financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each under the ministry’s Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund.

Neeraj Chauhan benefits from assistance

The versatile archer said the timely intervention of the government helping him with financial assistance was instrumental in his selection.

“The timely intervention at that time helped me and my family a lot and got me back to training for the future competition. Since getting the financial help, I was able to upgrade my Archery equipment to the one I am currently using during my training at SAI Sonepat, and also spend a little more money on diet, which I could not before,” Neeraj told SAI.

When asked how he felt about making it to the national team, an ecstatic Neeraj said:

“I am very happy and excited that I made it to the Indian National team. My first international event would be the Asian Games, and now I will give my full energy to prepare for the event so I can win a medal there."

Neeraj along with Tarundeep Rai, Sachin Gupta and Jayanta Talukdar have made the Indian team for the Asian Games.