Auto-rickshaw driver in Ahmedabad brought a German-made rifle for his national-level shooter daughter.
Highlights
- Mittal, 27, a national level shooter, has been practicing for 4 years
- Her father, an auto driver, had saved 5 lakhs for her wedding
- Manilal Gohil spent the money on buying a German-made rifle instead
The money was saved over the years for a wedding party he had hoped to throw for his only daughter. But ultimately, for father Manilal Gohil, an auto-rickshaw driver in Ahmedabad, the dream of his daughter came through as more important than his.
With Rs 5 lakh set aside for her wedding, Mr Gohil has bought his only daughter Mittal - a 27-year-old national level shooter - a German-made rifle.
Mr Gohil has always been supportive of her daughter's dream. Four years ago, when Mittal had first expressed her desire to learn shooting, considered as an expensive sport, he enrolled his daughter at a club where she practiced shooting with a rented rifle.
"Mittal has been taking part in various championships ever since she took on shooting as a hobby in 2012. Since we could not afford a rifle, she used to borrow it from other shooters or from the Rifle Club. But I realised that she needed a top-class rifle of her own to fetch medals in national and international championships," Mr Gohil toldthe Press Trust of India.
Her talent soon fetched her several awards including a bronze in nationals.
The time had now come for Mittal to train and participate in international competitions. So her father and her brother Jainit took on the task of arranging funds to get her the 50-meter-range rifle she needed.
"As a father, it is my duty to ensure that my daughter does not face any difficulty in pursuing her passion," said Mr Gohil.
For Mittal, however, the arduous journey to success is far from over. Each bullet for the rifle costs Rs 31 and she needs to buy at least 1,000 rounds for every tournament. Add to it, travel and other miscellaneous expenditure.