Interview/ Jaspal Rana, coach
JASPAL RANA, A CHAMPION shooter himself, is known to young sports fans as the coach of Manu Bhaker. The 48-year-old Asian Games gold medallist is a father figure to the Haryana ace, but their relationship has had its rocky patches. They had a public fallout before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and stopped talking to each other. It took a courageous phone call from Manu to reunite the duo. Rana speaks about that conversation and more in an interview with THE WEEK. Excerpts:
Q/ When did you first meet Manu Bhaker?
A/ It was maybe in 2016 or 2017. We had a lot of shooters from all over the country at the Tughlakabad shooting range [in Delhi]; she was one of them. For me they were just regular kids at the same level.
Q/ How did you find Manu as a person and as a shooter?
A/ We had many good shooters. Manu had [won at] the youth Olympics and Commonwealth Games in 2018. That is when she started shooting well and we trained further.
Q/ You did not want Manu to take part in the 25m pistol event in Tokyo; controversy then broke out. Would you please elaborate on what happened?
A/ Manu was only 18 at the time. She was doing well in [10m] air pistol and [10m] air pistol mixed event. She was good but three events were too much for her then. But, because of some dirty politics, she was told I was against her. I never knew that till the time she told me. I became the culprit for the entire national shooting team. Things went from bad to worse and we stopped talking.
Q/ How did you reunite?
A/ She called me from a new number that I didn’t have. I didn’t take it initially. Then I picked up. She said she wanted to talk. I told her to come to Khan Market where I made it clear we won’t discuss the past. Some people had misused the situation, so I urged her to focus on the future.
Q/ What is her biggest strength and weakness?
A/ Her biggest strength is that she had the guts to call me [saying she wanted to train under me again]. I think she needed a lot of courage to do that. I wouldn’t have made the call despite all the maturity I have. She has small weaknesses like everyone else but they don’t matter.
Q/ You are not only her coach but also her guide, philosopher and mentor. How did you two become so close?
A/ I am close to all my students equally. Since Manu came into the picture, we have spent a lot of time together. Time that I was supposed to spend with my family and kids. But to have a good student around is always good.
Q/ We know Manu was impulsive. How did you help with her composure?
A/ I never try to change a person. I always keep the facts in front of them, including mistakes and bad habits. I tell them, “If you do this, that will happen” and let them decide. She had been doing endorsements and travelling, things that athletes do in a small window to make some money. I told her that if she didn’t stop, practice would be delayed. We started [training] on November 3.
Q/ You used to impose fines on her during practice.
A/ There is no difference between practice and a match. I make training sessions as close to matches as possible. We create pressure [and a sense] of loss and victory. In the Olympics, every point counts. If she misses her target, she pays a self-imposed fine, donating to a poor child or buying treats for animals, which improves her karma.
Q/ Manu had an accident before the Paris Olympics. How did you react to that as a coach?
A/ I did not know about it. She told me after the Olympics. That was a stupid move. It could have led to a fracture and cost India two medals.
Q/ Is it true that you did not allow her to pursue other interests before the Olympics?
A/ She was doing bharatnatyam and violin. But horse riding and other sports were banned. Why try something risky?
Q/ Her father says Manu never stuck to one sport. Did you fear that she might quit shooting as well?
A/ It is good that she has an interest in other sports. But that doesn’t mean you leave one for another. You have to prioritise.
Q/ Has she changed after the Paris Olympics?
A/ Change is the only constant. If that change is on the wrong side, we are heading for disaster. If it is good, we are heading for the Los Angeles Olympics.
Q/ Do you think too much promotion and travel at this age can affect her career?
A/ [We may think] it’s too much. But it is justified from her perspective because nobody helped her before the Olympics. It’s fair that she is now making a little money.
Q/ We saw negative comments on social media about her always carrying her medals.
A/ Who is Manu Bhaker without her medals? She has the right to flaunt them. Even Muhammad Ali used to sleep with his medals.
Q/ Tell us about your academy in Dehradun. Is there another Manu in the making?
A/ There are thousands of girls who are ready to compete. They need proper guidance and support. The government and private sector should support them before they achieve anything, not after. We must start working from the grassroots. We need to have the right coaches as well.