Suma Shirur: Olympian Who Changed The Game As Head Coach Of Indian Shooting Contingent

Emerging from an era when shooting sports were rarely recognised beyond military applications, Suma Shirur’s journey to globally representing India is a striking tale of transformation and impact. She is the guiding force behind air rifle prodigies like Avani Lekhara, who recently won her second Paralympics Gold in Paris. As Head Coach, she spearheaded the Indian shooting team at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, leading them to new heights.

In an interview with SheThePeople, rifle shooting champion Suma Shirur spoke about her journey as a pathbreaking Olympian, her transition to coaching, and what she'd like to change as a leader with respect to gender parity in Indian sports.  She also reflected on the achievements and challenges that shaped her journey as a leader in the sport.

An NCC Camp That Ignited A Lifelong Passion

The first time Shirur held a rifle was at a National Cadet Corps camp about 30 years ago. As she lay on the ground taking aim, little did she anticipate that the thrill of that moment would evolve into a defining passion and launch her career to become a top shooter.

“In the first five shots, my grouping was incredibly tight. And everyone suddenly was like, ‘Oh, she's good at shooting', and in those five shots I became like a champion shooter at the camp. That showed me that I had the talent and was naturally gifted for it,” Shirur recalled. 

Her senior then introduced her to the Maharashtra Rifle Association where she first discovered that shooting is an Olympic sport. “There I got to see actual rifles. They’re all very sophisticated German rifles, and I immediately fell in love with them,” she expressed nostalgically.

"When I started shooting there, in the first few days that I got a feel of the sport, I felt very peaceful; like this is where I belonged," Shirur expressed. "It was a very deep feeling that this is what I want to do. And so I just went on doing it because I just loved it day after day."

Carving The Path For Women

Shirur’s zeal not only propelled her to excel in rifle shooting but also to break gender barriers in the sport. “Shooting was very male-dominated in our times. I remember, during the State Championships, we were just six to seven girls in the entire arena,” she shared.

“We were some of the first women to step into a career that no one had done before and make it to the Olympics. Our coach, Sanjay (Chakravarty) sir was very protective of us girls. He prepared for scenarios where we would be the only women out there. He gave us a lot of strength. I remember he told me, ‘You have to become like Jhansi ki rani to bring out that inner fight’. And we women were a tight-knit group of friends who sailed together through all the highs and lows.” 

Shirur’s exceptional skills and unwavering confidence earned her medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and the Asian Games in Busan (2002) and Doha (2006). She also solidified her status as an elite shooter in the finals of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Today, Shirur is a member of the Indian Olympic Association’s Gender Equality Committee, where she plays a pivotal role in facilitating meaningful change for women in sports and ensuring they receive equal opportunities and well-deserved recognition. 

“I think the sport has really evolved from the time I started. Earlier, women were given 40 shots while men were given 60. When I started my shooting club, I knew I wanted to change that. So we had just one match, with men and women competing together and all shooting 60 shots. I felt like why should this be separate? Women are equally good as men,” Shirur described.

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) reframed its rules in 2016, giving all shooters 60 shots; then, the Mixed Team events were introduced. The 2024 Paris Games, was the first time that men and women had an equal number of events, Shirur shared.

“It's taken the International Olympic Committee many years to finally come to a point where men and women are equal. So the international community is slowly coming to gender parity now. I think India will follow, but it's going to take a few years down the line,” she expressed.

Stepping Into Sports Entrepreneurship

For over ten years since she started shooting, Shirur travelled over four hours every day to and from the shooting range. However, as she made waves at the Athens Olympics, the local government body realised the need to make the range more accessible in her area.

A shooting range was set up at a local sports academy, marking the start of Shirur's career as a coach and entrepreneur. "Since I was the only shooter from Navi Mumbai, I was sort of thrown into coaching and had to build an entire ecosystem here," she recalled.

Shirur emphasised the vital role of her family's support -- from the meticulous guidance of her father to emotional backing from her husband -- in helping her embark on the unchartered path. She credited their unwavering faith in her for turning her vision into a reality.

"It has been almost more than 16 years. And I'm very happy with the way, things have come forward and the club has grown," Shirur expressed. She proudly shared that her goal to create equal opportunities for all athletes at her academy has come to fruition.

"I've made sure to give equal opportunity to women coaches and not have any discrimination. So we have an equal number of men and women at the academy, even in the admin. I've really tried to ensure there is gender parity in whatever I did," Shirur said.

Shirur also offers scholarships for young shooters coming from underprivileged backgrounds. A talent search at some municipal schools identified promising talents, who are now financially aided by Lakshya, the municipal corporation, and the Father Agnel Sports Complex in Vashi, Mumbai.

How Coaching Impacts Her

Shirur finds great fulfilment in her role as a coach, helping athletes from diverse backgrounds rise to their full potential. As each athlete brings unique stories and different skill sets, she tailors her approach to meet their individual needs and overcome any obstacles. 

"It's very important to listen to your athletes about their needs. The Olympics and Paralympics are really different in terms of skill sets. In the Paralympics, of course, you need to understand what are the strong parts of their body, and how we can use them to their advantage. So understanding an athlete is crucial and that would mean having a lot of patience," she shared. 

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Shirur also mused about how being a coach has influenced her personally. "It's really fantastic to see how sports can build the confidence of athletes, especially young girls. Through sport, we are contributing towards individuals in shaping their lives," she said.

Reflections Of A Mother In Sports

As a sportsperson and a mother of two, Shirur juggles numerous demanding responsibilities, navigating a delicate balance between the different worlds. "I think it's very, very important to have that balance. For me, if that balance goes off, I cannot function," she expressed.

"If it becomes too much shooting or travelling, and if I don't have time for my family, I'm not able to function so well. It's also not the amount of time you spend, it's the quality that matters. Even if I'm home for just a day, we make it a point to be there for each other," Shirur said.

She shared that her journey as a mother in sports was filled with lessons in resilience and adaptability. "I truly applaud all mothers who are into sports and hanging in there, keeping their ambitions alive. It takes a lot of courage and commitment," she expressed.

Undying Commitment To Sport

Ending the interview on an inspiring note, Suma Shirur spoke about how shooting "has changed my outlook and the way I see life." She expressed how being a sportsperson helped her realise the unpredictability of life and taught her to embrace its highs and lows. 

"Life is going to be a rollercoaster. But it is important to ensure that you are grounded during the highs and are able to pick yourself up during the lows. So sport has really showed me that things are in my control and I can press the reset button anytime. The most important thing is to have clarity, desire, and commitment to take charge and make things work with whatever you have." she expressed.

Shirur continued, "My motto, even when I went for my own Olympic matches, has always been that when I came out, I didn't want to come out with any regret that 'Oh, I should have done this or that'. I want to take charge and live the moment completely."