Asian Games 2018: Rajat Chauhan hopes to get a good job after silver show

Rajat Chauhan (centre), Aman Saini and Abhishek Verma (right) with their silver medals in Jakarta yesterday. Pic/AFP

Member of India's silver medal-winning compound archery men's team, Rajat Chauhan knows exactly what it's like to take on a late challenge. Yesterday, at the GBK Sports Stadium here, the men's and women's compound archery teams won silver going down to the mighty South Koreans, but the men lost by a hair's breadth, quite literally.

Close battle
The Indian men, the defending champions here, began with a perfect score of 60 points, four ahead of the Koreans before dropping to a score of 54 in the next set and the Koreans drawing level. The Indians again took the lead 58 to Korea's 56, but a drop once again in the fourth set saw the match head into the shoot off. With both teams finally finishing on the same score - 229 points - the Koreans were adjudged winners as one of the arrows had hit the bullseye - a perfect shot - while the Indians had hit 10-pointers. The difference between a 10-pointer and a bullseye shot is a hair's breadth.

Rajasthan man, Chauhan, recently faced a similar late test in life. He passed that one with flying colours fortunately. "I cleared my Class XII recently on my fifth attempt. Before this, I simply could not find time as I was busy with my compound event. I cleared the examinations from the Rajasthan open board like every other regular student," said Chauhan after the silver medal show.

Celebrity-like feeling
At 23, obviously, he was the centre of attraction in the examination hall which was full of mostly teenagers. "It was a celebrity-like feeling, in a way. Some of the students were smiling at me, while others thought I might be some celebrity sitting among them," added Chauhan with a smile.

"I used to fill my examination form every year, but was unable to appear for the papers since I was busy with my archery competitions. This time too, I competed at the senior nationals, where I won a medal, and two days later, I gave my exams. I am very happy to get this medal but I am also happy that I've cleared my Class XII exams. I hope I get a good job now. Most of my fellow archers are employed in good positions. I hope the Rajasthan government gives me a job.

"There are 20 to 30 kids who train under me and I'm managing myself and my family somehow, but without a job, I cannot survive for long. Medal jeetna acha hai lekin sirf medal se pet toh nahi bharta (it's good to win medals but medals cannot fill your stomach)," he signed off.

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