Barinder Saluja, Chandigarh,Oct. 23 : Princess from the Princely state of Patiala has done it once again. Heena Sidhu, who won a Gold & Silver Medal in the Shooting events in the commonwealth games recently concluded in New Delhi, hails from the Princely State of Patiala and is a 3rd year student of BDS from Gian Sagar Medical College & Hospital, Banur.
Dr Sukhwinder Singh, Vice-Chairman of the Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust, here today presented a cheque for Rs three lakh to Heena Sidhu, a student of BDS third year of the Gian Sagar Dental College, who struck gold for India in the Commonwealth Games.
It took just four years for this gifted shooter to touch the heights in her arena. At the age of 21, Heena Sidhu has made the country proud by winning one gold and one silver in 10m air pistol, after the practise of just 4 years. She started shooting at the age of 17, which clearly points out at the long career of this amazing shooter as well as Indian Medal hunt.
Talking to T.I.P reporter at Gian Sagar Dental College today, the shooter said that now she has started training for the upcoming Asian Games, “The party is over and now I am eyeing to hit ‘bull’s eye’ at the Asian Games. I have started training,” said Heena, a student of BDS third year. When asked how she balances time between shooting and studies, she said: “I practise for two hours daily at my personal shooting range. After that I only study. I think this is the only reason behind the my high level of concentration.”
Like every shooter, Heena is of the view that the government should develop shooting infrastructure. “We (the shooters) have proved that the game has huge scope here. The government should address the problems regarding the high expenses of shooting paraphernalia besides developing ranges conforming to international standards,” she said. She also expressed her grievance on the issue of practically receiving the announced cash prizes by the state government, which are pending since 2007.
Heena has a brilliant record at the international level. She bagged two golds, with a new record, at the South Asian Federation Championship held at Islamabad in 2008. She struck a gold in Munich Open Championship in 2009. She again got four gold medals in Hungarian Open Championship in 2008. She bagged a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup Beijing 2009 and two silver medals in South Asian Championship 2009.
Heena got four gold medals in the National Championship in 2007 and three gold medals at the National Championship in 2008. She got a bronze at the National Championship 2009. In all together Heena has pocketed 14 International Level Gold Medals for her Country.
Dr Sukhwinder Singh, Vice-Chairman of the Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust, said that the trust had decided to give the cash award to Heena in recognition of her contribution at the international level today. He lauded the achievement of Heena who is studying in the Dental College being run by the Trust, near Chandigarh. He said the management was pleased at Heena’s achievement and said that she had done the nation and Punjab proud by bagging a gold.