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Haryana’s Suruchi Phogat is fearless and bold.

Her consistent performances on the world stage have earned her a new moniker and now, she is the ‘golden girl’ of Indian shooting.

Suruchi, who lifted the pistol for the first time in 2019, bagged three golds and a bronze at this year’s World Cups in Buenos Aires and Lima.

Despite her stellar achievements, the 19-year-old does not single out a cherished memory. Instead, she is looking ahead.

“I don’t have any so far, but I will make some,” Suruchi told Read on the sidelines of Shooting League of India logo launch on Thursday.

‘I am confident’

Suruchi is on a high at the moment. Riding on the back of good performances and the fearlessness of youth, the teenager has her eyes set on the Olympics.

“Everyone has a target. Representing India at the Olympics and winning medals for the country. To see the flag go up,” she added, hinting at her long-term plans.

Suruchi draws confidence from the hard work she puts in during training.

She, like many, experienced a period of difficulty that resulted in less-than-desirable results.

“I reached the finals in the previous World Cups too. But I couldn’t do well then. I trained myself to handle the pressure,” she said.

Suruchi will be in action at the upcoming World Cup in Munich and she is unfazed by the competition.

“I am very confident. I am moving in a flow. I don’t have any pressure. I am already ranked no 1. I don’t think my match will go wrong. I am practicing well. I will do what I have come to do. I don’t really care how famous my opponent is. I just want to do well for myself,” she added.

Of challenges and triumphs

Hailing from Sisroli Village in Jhajjar, Suruchi Honed Her Craft at the Guru Dronacharya Shooting Academy in Bhiwani.

Her growth was marked by laborious everyday commutes to perfect her skill under the tutelage of her coach Suresh Singh.

“I have faced a lot of problems. We live in a village and there aren’t many facilities. I travel 100km to Bhiwani everyday for training irrespective of the weather,” she pointed.

“I just follow what my guru says. He tells me ‘abhi mera naam aur upar karegi’ (You will make me proud),” she asserted.

Suruchi is a first-year student of B.A. and when at home she likes to help around and teach her younger brother Nishant, also an aspiring shooter.

“I help with household chores and sometimes teach my younger brother Nishant. He is also a good shooter, we talk about the sport,” she concluded.

While she might be a regular teenager at home, with a rifle in hand, Suruchi transforms into a fearless marksman who settles for nothing less than gold.