LUCKNOW, July 30 -- Shooter Jitu Rai shot into the limelight with gold medals in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games in 2014. After finishing eighth in the 10m air pistol and 12th in the 50m pistol events at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Rai, a native of Sankhuwa Sabha district of Nepal, went on to win gold at the 2017 World Cup in 10m air pistol and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast. Rai, who began his career in India after being posted as a soldier in the 11 Gorkha Rifles here in Lucknow in 2006, is even now hungry for a medal at the Olympics-not as a shooter but coach. After he was appointed the coach of the Indian shooting team in 10m air pistol event, he's been busy at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in Tughlakabad in New Delhi. "I still dream of an Olympic medal, but through my students after I missed my chance in 2016," said Rai on Tuesday. "Whatever this game has given me, I am trying to give back to it. I am sure to achieve this milestone one day." A recipient of prestigious Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award as well as Padma Shri and Arjuna Award, Rai was promoted to Subedar Major before he retired in 2024. "I am thankful to the Indian Army, which gave me everything in my life, and now I wish to see many more Jitu Rai in India in shooting. The growing presence of Indian shooters on the world map is quite encouraging, and I am hopeful for many more successes of Indian shooters at the international level in future." Rai, in four years since 2014, won five gold, four silver and five bronze medals. "I never knew that I would be able to win so many medals for India, my naturalised country after migrating here in 2006. I am happy to share my knowledge of the sport with the youngsters," said Rai, who also runs his own shooting academy in Siliguri, West Bengal. "I am enjoying my stint as Indian team coach both with junior and seniors. It's almost the same as during my days, I used to listen to my coach and now let my trainees listen to me. Coaching is a bit different as now you see the target with a different angle but this is what the sport teaches you when you change positions," said Rai, 38. He also admitted that besides training young shooters about the finer points of shooting, he also keeps guiding them to fight the odds in pressure situations. Past performances, sometimes, hold weight on a shooter, but he said that it's about thoughts and visualisation. "I always tell my shooters not to dwell on the past, be it good or bad. Then the thought of losing never enters one's mind. Take the pressure positively, have confidence, stick to the basics, and stay determined. One should always believe in his own ability, even with less-than-ideal qualification scores," he observed. On focus and composure, Rai said in his shooting days, he always avoided distractions such as the score screen. "One should be focused solely on shooting and avoid distractions like the score screen."...