Boria Majumdar in Paris
The Mixed Ream Recurve Archery bronze-medal match against Slovenia had just ended and Harvinder Singh and Gaurav Sharma had come to the mixed zone while Pooja Jatyan was in tears and did not want to speak to the media. I was the lone Indian journalist waiting and I immediately informed coach Sharma that it was fine by me because she looked distraught. That was when Harvinder stepped in.
“I don’t think I would want to celebrate my gold medal much,” he said of his individual prize. “This bronze medal would have meant much more than a gold to her and I was desperate to win this for India. We train in the same academy and stay in the same area, so for her to see that I am celebrating while she has missed the medal narrowly is just not fair. I don’t think I will celebrate much.”
Sharma, who was quietly tucking away the arrows, stepped in. “We have never lost a shoot-off,” he said. “Mostly, Harvinder shoots a 10 in the shoot-off and we win. Today also, I hoped we would do the same.”
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Indian archer Harvinder Singh, India’s first-ever Para archery gold medalist, recounts the historic moment and shares the significance of this gold for Indian archery.@ShrachiSports @BoriaMajumdar #HarvinderSingh @PCI_IN_Official #Paralympics2024 pic.twitter.com/qJBjzwb9uG
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“I had two choices before me,” said Harvinder. “The wind had gone down and I could aim at 11 o’clock or 10 o’clock. I aimed for 11 and that was when the wind picked up a bit. The arrow went to an 8. Had I opted to shoot with the 10 o’clock in mind, it would have hit the centre. It was a mistake on my part, and I am feeling horrible about it. Pooja shot a 9 and had I shot a 10, they would have found it much harder. All they needed to do was aim for the yellow.”
By then, a few International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officials had come along and congratulated him for the gold. While polite, Harvinder was in no mood to speak.
“It always happens with me,” he quipped. “When I won the 2018 Asian Games, I lost my mother soon after and could not celebrate. In 2021, it was peak-Covid and I couldn’t celebrate the Tokyo medal. Coach Sir wasn’t even there. Only Kuldeep Sir was there with me in Tokyo. And here, a day after winning the gold medal, this happens in the mixed. Somehow my celebrations are always jinxed.”
When I mentioned to him that India is still celebrating his gold medal-winning effort, he was philosophical. “It is never about one individual,” said Harvinder. “It is always about the collective. You don’t want one athlete to win or do better. You need the entire team to win and step up. That’s what will help Indian archery and that’s what we need to do ahead of LA. If my gold medal helps us get there, the effort is worth it.”
By then, the official broadcasters had requested him for an interview which he reluctantly agreed to do. “If you wait for 30 minutes, I can come back and speak to you more,” he said. I did not need to. I wasn’t keen on knowing what went wrong, for in all that had, plenty of things had also gone right. I understood why Harvinder is different, and why he could have a Neeraj Chopra-like effect on Indian archery. Not only is he a gold medal winner, but he is also a true leader who can hold the team together. That’s what makes him and his gold medal that much more special for the sport in India.