India's sharp-shooter granny fighting male domination

BBC Urdu ^ | 3 July 2011 | Suhail Haleem

[sinanju]

"At first glance there is nothing remarkable about Parkaso Tomar, a hardy 70-something woman who has spent most of her life working in the fields and tending to cattle in a small north Indian village.

Until of course she picks up a gun and fires a volley of shots, all bang on target.

She is the "shooter granny" of Johri village in Uttar Pradesh, a northern province infamous for honour killings and female foeticide. Not the best of places for girls to grow up.

This is where Parkaso Tomar has become an unlikely role model, inspiring a new generation of female shooters ever since she picked up a gun for the first time.

And that was well after she had turned 60.

Since then she has silenced her opponents, both on the shooting range and in the local community, with unwavering commitment and zeal. On the way, she inspired her daughter Seema to become the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Rifle and Pistol World Cup.

It was destiny's calling that took Parkaso and her much older sister-in-law to the shooting range in Johri, a pretty basic facility in the middle of a sprawling courtyard where poor village children practise for hours in the searing heat.

"I got my granddaughter admitted here, but she said she was afraid of coming alone so I started accompanying her. Then one day I picked up a gun and fired a shot, and it was quite good. So the coach said I should start practising and that I had the potential to be good."

And then it became a passion.

"In the evenings I would come to the range and fire some shots," she recalls..."

[sinanju]

Too good not to share.

[Palter]

Reminds me of the spearchuckers.

Pittsburgh Pirates snap up Indian spearchuckers

[Randian Randy]

Awesome.

[Lurker]

Almost anyone can be taught to be a competent shooter. This article shows that to be true.

[Puckster]

BTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JRandomFreeper]

Almost anyone can be taught to be a competent shooter.

The humble .22 is a great teaching tool. And keeps me well fed, when meat ranges out beyond the 12" reach of my carver.

You go, granny!

/johnny

[Rudder]

Too good not to share.

Especially when a picture is available:

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

This is a male dominated society, a female child is not always welcome. But thanks largely to granny Parkaso, young girls and boys stand here shoulder-to-shoulder, punching holes in paper targets, and unprogressive mindsets.

Note that "progressive" refers to concrete progress, not the "progressivism" of the socialist whose motives are arbitrarily promoted as nobler-than-thou by fellow socialists . . .

[rabidralph]

Every American should learn to shoot the right way. I attended an Appleseed event in June and I had so much fun! The instructors were attentive and explained every step. Safety was foremost in mind and the American history lessons were insightful and touching. I shot about 500 rounds for the whole weekend and it was a blast! You can check your state for events in your area.