Joydeep Karmakar, the Olympian, is not sitting idle. After Mehuli Ghosh, he is already on a mission to bring up the next generation of shooters. Some names are in the searchlight of India’s shooting fraternity. Swastika Sarkar is one of them. The 13-year-old cliched gold in the CBSE National Championship, scoring a perfect 400 out of 400. 

He also mentioned Ashmit Chatterjee’s name, the young player was chosen for the India Open Championship as well as All India Inter University Shooting. He previously secured a gold medal in 10m Air Rifle shooting in the Khelo India Youth Games 2023-24. 

Joydeep revealed, “Swastika Sarkar, Udita Chakrobarty, and Ashmit Chatterjee are some promising players who performed exceptionally well and earned selection for nationals through rigorous trials. I am hoping they will grow in the future, securing many records and awards.” 

While talking about the shooting standards among West Bengal shooters, he stated, “This year, over 80 shooters from our academy alone are competing in the National Championship. It’s a remarkable shift, considering there was a time when only around 100 participants took part in the entire state championship.”

Commenting on Swastika, Joydeep added, “We’re fortunate to have her as a strong and mature player. Generally, she looks restless. But once she steps onto the lane, she gets transformed entirely, bringing focus and composure to her performance.” 

“None of us imagined that, at just 13, she would score a perfect 400 out of 400. Now, she’s won her first gold at the national level. We are hoping that she will grow more professionally.” 

While talking about the initiative taken from Joydeep K Shooting Academy for the needy students, he notified that, “We receive no financial assistance from the government, and our academies are primarily funded through student fees, making it challenging to support players financially. I personally faced many obstacles, even waiting 13 years to buy my own rifle.” 

However, he disclosed a unique policy to force the players to work efficiently, “We have a unique policy: if any of our players are selected for the national camp, their coaching is provided free of charge. I believe that when a player performs well, we should fully support them in reaching their highest potential.”

Karmakar highlighted the impact of the Paris Olympics, stating, “The Paris Olympics played a pivotal role in raising awareness about shooting as a sport. More parents are now enrolling their children in shooting academies. This growing awareness is something we must continue to emphasise.” 

He put the spotlight on many issues relating to the field of shooting; he stated, “While we have several talented shooters, it’s important to recognise that the level of difficulty in shooting is higher than in many other sports.”

“Often, for a shooter to compete at the national level, they must achieve an Olympic-level score. As coaches, we strive to prepare our athletes to set higher benchmarks for themselves, pushing them to consistently raise their standards.” 

The coach revealed a significant challenge for the academy, saying, “The real issue is finding skilled coaches for players in West Bengal. Coaches are the backbone of any academy.” 

He concluded, “I'm continuously striving to provide our students with the best infrastructure and coaching. This effort will not stop on our end.”