“I used to cry missing my kids but all of it is now worth it along with the financial adversities I have suffered,” said a visibly relieved Mona Agarwal in an interaction with the media on Friday night.
With a Paralympic bronze medal wrapped around her neck, clearly, a burden appears to have been lifted off her shoulders.
But in June this year, Mona was worried.
Financial woes and more
Earlier this year, the 37-year-old had in her possession a gold medal from the Para World Cup at Changwon, Korea but deep down, she knew that she was in a spot of bother.
Mona had spent Rs. 15 lakh of her sponsorship money in procuring a new rifle. What’s more, having traveled to Korea using Rs. 7 lakh of her own funds, she was desperately short on resources.
Money aside, Mona had other things to worry about as well, a bed-ridden husband and two school-going kids that she was staying away from.
And yet, despite all of these worries, Mona Agarwal bagged bronze on Friday in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 category.
Challenges aren’t new to Mona. As a child growing up with the debilitating effects of polio impacting her legs, relatives mocked her. Being the family’s third daughter brought more insult.
But Mona was tenacious from the outset. She obtained an arts degree and at 23-years of age began living independently while working in marketing and HR jobs. In parallel, Mona also played sports – shot-put, discus throw, javelin throw and volleyball.
All of that changed in 2021 when she discovered shooting.
A new lease of life
When Mona learnt that she was good at her newfound passion, she enrolled at Eklavya Sports Shooting Academy in Jaipur.
Success came rapidly thereafter, a gold in New Delhi at the Para Shooting World Cup (which helped her secure the Paralympics quota), a silver at the mixed team air rifle event, followed by gold again at the Para Shooting World Cup in Korea.
But success came at a cost and constant training kept her away from her two young children.
“I left my kids back home and they used to taunt me on call, ‘Mumma aap ghar ka raasta bhul gaye ho, GPS laga ke wapas aa jaao’ (Mother, you have forgotten the route back home, put the GPS on and come back).”
On Friday, Mona led the field for a major portion of the final but in the penultimate round a 10.0 pushed her to the third spot.
“I was leading throughout and when I shot my last shot, my heart was bouncing. I felt bad but it is a medal for me on the Paralympics debut, so it is a great feeling,” she recalled.
Despite the slip-up, Mona is thrilled, having taken to the sport only recently.
“I started only two and half years back. I had no idea about para sports till 2016. When I realized that I can play at the highest level, I tried to understand what sport to choose from. I tried three and four sports and then stuck with shooting.”
With the medal now won, Mona can go back home to her kids and look at the future with more than just a semblance of hope, for the journey has been long and arduous.
“In 2010 I left my home to fulfil dreams. Everybody resisted and said they won’t accept me. There was a lot of resistance, but I am happy that they are with me today.”