Rifle shooting, which was not commonly found on the list of sports schools would offer, has been gaining in popularity.
One school inaugurated a rifle shooting range on its campus on Saturday, while another institute, in order to cater to the growing demand, opened a second range a few years back.
Those associated with rifle shooting in Bengal said they have been witnessing a steady rise in the interest shown by schools in the sport.
The La Martiniere schools opened a shooting range on the campus of the boys' school. It can be used by students of the boys' as well as girls' schools.
Reverend Paritosh Canning, the bishop of the Calcutta diocese of the Church of North India, unveiled the shooting range on Saturday.
“Any sport increases concentration and discipline. Our council (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations) also provides participation (in rifle shooting competitions among schools) till the national level,” said Rupkatha Sarkar, principal, La Martiniere for Girls.
At The Newtown School, a shooting range had been opened when the institution started functioning nine years ago. A second was opened just before the onset of the pandemic.
“This is an initiative of the school to give students an opportunity. The coach is from the West Bengal Rifle Association,” said Supriyo Dhar, secretary, La Martiniere schools.
The Newtown School issues a circular before the start of the session every year offering the students a chance to take up rifle shooting.
“A trial is conducted for those who opt for rifle shooting. When we started the school, we experimented with new things and rifle shooting was one of them,” said Sunil Agarwal, founder-director of The Newtown School.
“We try and promote such sports where there is a higher chance of students doing well,” he said.
Verinder Kumar Dhall, president of the West Bengal Rifle Association, said that in the last 10 years, more schools in Bengal are showing an interest in rifle shooting.
“In north India, schools have been offering rifle shooting for long. The trend is gradually catching up in Bengal,” he said.
“In rifle shooting, a player is playing for himself or herself and he or she is his or her own competitor. It is a sport that a player plays on willpower,” said Dhall, who was present as a guest of honour at the inauguration of the rifle range at La Martiniere.
He said there are shooters who excel in academics, too.
“Rifle shooting increases the concentration of a student because the bullseye is just .5mm. The sport requires high concentration,” said Vinay Tiwari, coach at the La Martiniere schools and a member of the committee that runs the talent programme of the West Bengal Rifle Association.
The talent programme is an attempt by the association to visit schools and promote the sport among students.