"I didn't have money to buy any equipment" - Anjum Moudgil opens up on her journey and the challenges she faced early in her shooting career

Anjum Moudgil, a prominent figure in Indian shooting, is set to make her second Olympic appearance in Paris. In a career spanning over a decade, the 30-year-old shooter from Chandigarh has a rather distinguished career, boasting medals from the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships.

Ahead of the Paris Olympics, in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Moudgil spoke about her journey in the sport and the evolution of shooting in India. She also spoke about how a league could boost the popularity of the sport in the country.

Reflecting on her early years, Moudgil credited Abhinav Bindra’s 2008 Olympic gold medal for igniting her and her generation of shooters’ passion for the sport.

"I started when Abhinav Bhaiya won the medal, so that was one of the major kickoffs for shooting in 2008, Abhinav Bindra winning a gold in the Olympics. So, there were many people from my generation who started shooting then in 2007–2008 because of him," she reminisced.

Moudgil went on to credit good performances from the Indian shooters over the years, which gradually garnered media interest in the sport, otherwise overshadowed by more popular ones.

“And after that [Abhinav Bindra’s Olympic gold], because of good, you know, good performances at different levels, the media started to have some interest in shooting, which was not there earlier; only the famous sports used to get all the recognition, but over the years, we have seen such a beautiful growth in terms of coverage from the media and other houses for the other sports as well,” she said.

“So, I think everything has to play a positive role in getting all the people to recognize shooting. So many parents want their kids to, you know, take up the sport. And also, when I mean, this sport has comparatively less injuries as compared to any contact sport, or, you know, agile sports, like badminton or tennis. So yeah, people are keen to try this sport, and parents are keen that the kids should try this sport.”

“And it's easily accessible now throughout India. Now the import rules are eased out, there are so many coaches, equipment, and everything, I think. So, because of that, there is a major growth in this sport over the years,” she added.

Moudgil's journey began with inspiration from her mother, who had been involved in the sport during her school and college days through the National Cadet Corps (NCC).

“So, my mother used to do shooting when she was in NCC in her school and college days. So, she was the one who introduced me to shooting and took me to a shooting range that was near my place in Chandigarh. And then that was my first time looking at the weapons, the bullets, and how everyone shoots. So I feel that was something that really made me interested because weapons and bullets was something not very common back in 2007,” she said.

Joining NCC herself, in standard eight, provided Moudgil with initial training and competition experience, essential steps that helped her progress to the national level.

“And then I joined NCC in 8th standard in my school. So that really helped me to train and shoot competitions in rifle shooting, which helped me to, you know, qualify at the basic level and then reach the national level. So that is how I started because of my mother knowing this sport and she wanted me to try this.”

Financial constraints were some of the many hurdles in the early phase of Moudgil's career. Sharing equipment with 5–6 other shooters was a major challenge Moudgil overcame. Recounting the trying times, Moudgil said,

“NCC played a major role in my beginning years because I didn't have money to buy any equipment. I didn't have any coaches. The equipment was very expensive. So, you know, five or six people sharing one rifle shooting kit. So yeah, because of that, it was possible for me to shoot.”

“Only when I reached the international level in 2011–12 was I able to buy my first air rifle, that was just around two lakhs. And then, after two, three years, when I had sponsors, I was able to buy my 0.2 rifle, that was around three to four lakhs back then,” she added.

“It was a long journey getting all the equipment I wanted since I started in 2008. So it took me around five to six years to get all the equipment. And I got my first coach after being into the sport for two or three years. And so yeah, everything was a very slow start for me,” she explained.

"I just feel that the challenges are very important to make you grow and learn" - Anjum Moudgil

Shooting has seen an exponential rise in recent years. While shooters like Moudgil had to overcome several hurdles, including a lack of recognition, the upcoming generation of shooters faces a different set of challenges.

Talking about the importance of challenges in personal and professional growth, Moudgil said,

"I just feel that the challenges are very important to make you grow and learn at the beginning. So there, you are always grateful for those challenges. And then they just help you with the growth."

She noted that today's athletes often have access to the best equipment, coaches, and facilities from the outset, allowing them to achieve quick success. However, she believes this can be a double-edged sword.

"I feel currently the athletes in shooting just join shooting with the best equipment, best coach, and best shooting range, and eventually win really quickly. I feel like it's just a one-time spark."

"We have seen that in many shooters recently. And so I'm very grateful that I'm not from this time but from the last, like the previous sort of shooter generation, who actually took like 10 years to get established and be world number one and be there at the Olympics. So yeah, I'm happy for the journey and the challenges."

Moudgil's journey to the top wasn't swift. It took her a decade to establish herself and reach the Olympics, a path she appreciated for its lessons and resilience. She expressed concern about the sustainability of quick success, stressing the need for athletes to manage their performance dips.

"It's easy to be good when you are doing well, but it's very difficult to manage yourself when you start; you know, the graph goes down in your performance," she said.

Her insights extend to her peers, as she hopes they can handle the inevitable downturns in their careers.

"I hope everyone manages themselves well when they're not performing well, and eventually they can perform at a good level for many years rather than just for one or two years and then vanish."

As a sports psychology student, Moudgil has a unique perspective on the mental challenges athletes face. She highlighted the difficulty many shooters experience in accepting and dealing with performance slumps.

"There are many shooters who talk to me. So I've seen this thing where they can't really accept the downfall. That's a very common thing now. And I just hope that everyone does well and keeps on making India win," she said.

Moudgil also touched upon the potential for a shooting league, a concept that has generated interest but lacked execution. She believes a well-designed plan could revolutionize the sport's visibility and appeal.

"If someone can portray that and show our pulse or breathing and how much anxiety one gets or how calm someone is, if that is shown somewhere on the TV, like on the screens at the same time when we are shooting, that would really give a very good boost for the spectators."

By showcasing the psychological and physiological aspects of shooting, Moudgil thinks it could change the perception of the sport, which is often deemed monotonous by viewers.

“It will really interest many people to see what happens when they're shooting. I feel there are so many people who think it's the most boring sport. But to broadcast on channels or in the media, it could really interest many people to see what happens when they're shooting," she concluded.

Anjum Moudgil is all set to participate in the 50 m rifle 3 positions event at the Paris Olympics 2024. She is also a former World No. 1 in the 50 m rifle 3 positions event.