Vijay Kumar and Pemba Tamang of India pose with their Gold medals for the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Pairs Final at the Melbourne International Shooting Club during day Four of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games March 19, 2006 in Melbourne, Australia.
Partnering with Pemba Tawang, Vijay Kumar struck gold in the 25 metre rapid-fire pistol pairs at Melbourne Sunday. He is also to take part in the individual competition of the same event Thursday.
Vijay today won the individual gold in men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol shooting event also.
Vijay Kumar hails from Harsaur village of Hamirpur district, located near the shrine of Baba Balak Nath at Deotsidh.
Vijay’s father Banku Ram – a former soldier – was all smiles when a team of reporters met him at his residence Wednesday.
Banku Ram said he knew that his son would always keep the national flag flying high and he had proved this in Australia. He also expressed hope that Vijay would win another gold in the individual event.
Vijay’s aged grandmother Bramhmi Devi too was in high spirits, saying her grandson was a genius.
The local panchayat or village council has decided to honour Vijay once he returns from Australia.
Cash reward for winners from HP
An IT professional for 17 years, based in the US since the last 12 years. Founded NGO My Himachal and then Himachal Media Pvt. Ltd.. A Himachali forever. Always trying to bring together people whose hearts beat for the state.
First of all heartiest congratulations to Vijay Kumar for his achievements !!!
It’s really great to know that a boy from a small village in Himachal has not only made his country proud but also our state and his village. We should be really proud to have such kind of people in our state and in our country. Keep it up!!!
Poor family buys mobile to talk to Commonwealth hero
By Chander Shekhar Sharma, Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh): After his first gold at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, Indian Army soldier Vijay Kumar’s family borrowed a mobile phone to speak to the shooting star. But when he bagged a second gold, they could hold themselves back no longer.
His younger brother was dispatched from their native village of Harsaur to the nearby town of Kaswa to purchase a mobile phone! Vijay, 21, after all clinched the top honours in the men’s individual 25 m rapid fire pistol Thursday to add to his gold in the pairs event earlier.
The double gold made his entire village erupt into celebrations, as this was the first time any sportsperson from Hamirpur district, in this Himalayan state, had won accolades at the international level.
Although Samaresh Jung of nearby Sirmaur has won six gold medals in shooting at Melbourne, people hold Vijay’s performance in higher esteem as he has no sporting background while guns are a part and parcel of the Jung family.
Vijay took to shooting only after joining the army in October 2001, according to his father Banku Ram, a former soldier.
Banku Ram told IANS at his residence that he knew that Vijay would do something exceptional because he had always been “very obedient”. He insisted that Vijay’s obedience lay at the root of his success.
Celebrations in his village began with the first medal and continued when people came to know of the second gold through the media. People burst into dancing, singing and burst crackers.
Even the women of the village, which is a cradle of recruitment for the Indian Army, were not left behind. They too beat drums and sang religious songs.
Brahmi Devi and Roshni Devi, grandmother and mother of Vijay, had their hands full receiving guests and well-wishers in large numbers, who extended congratulations to them. The medal winner’s brothers were also in high spirits, distributing sweets to visitors.
Hamirpur Deputy Commissioner, Rajnish Kumar said the district administration would accord Vijay a grand reception.
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