Chhattisgarh: Archery gives DRG jawan a new lease of life

Until he lost his left leg in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast last July, life and Kabaddi went hand in hand for Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel Kishan Kumar Hapka.

While still under treatment, a bed-ridden Hapka, now 27, learnt about an Indian paralympian medalist’s journey whose success story inspired him to take up archery. A gold medal win in the recently concluded Bastar Olympics has given him hope to take up the sport at a more competitive level.

Recalling his journey, the policeman, now posted in Bijapur Kotwali police station, says that on July 16th 2024 he and his fellow jawans for returning from a successful anti-maoist operation when an IED planted by the maoists went off resulting in the loss of his limb.

Hapka had joined the Chhattisgarh Police in 2021 and had received Commando training before getting inducted into the DRG. Prior to this, he was working with the CRPF, he says.

Being part of a specialised anti-maoist force meant that physical training was an important part of his daily schedule. In his case it was “doubly so” because of his love for Kabaddi.

“Kabaddi was an inseparable part of my life. I had played the game at the national level in the junior category without any coaching. I had plans to play it till 60. Such is my body clock that even at the hospital, I would wake up at my usual time of 4 a.m. but the realisation that that I couldn’t step out filled me with despair,” he said.

The situation prompted a detailed search on what other people in his situation did. Browsing YouTube, he learnt about the Indian Paralympian whose name he is unable to recall but says that it was a female badminton player who took up the sport after losing her legs in an accident.

Hapka’s own choices were narrowed down to badminton and archery. However, it was fellow archer from Bijapur who introduced him to archery and connected him to a local coach.

He underwent training under the coach and within a month and a half competed for the Bastar Oympics, a mega sports event. While he cleared various levels to reach the finals, he competed in the para category and shot for gold.

When asked about his future goals, he says that while he knows the competition will be far more intense ahead, he would like to “represent India some day”.