Darjeeling to get 10-metre pistol shooting range

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OI, DARJEELING, JULY 26: If all goes according to plans, the Darjeeling hills will soon have a world-class pistol shooting range to hone youngsters and groom them to represent the country in world events. 

On the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Darjeeling Zilla Sainik Board on Friday announced its decision to establish a 10-metre shooting range near Batasia. 

The shooting range is expected to come up in the building belonging to the Gorkha War Memorial Trust.

"The structure is already in existence which had been constructed by the administration nearly eight years ago. It is not in use and the condition is bad. However, we have found that the building can easily house a shooting range," Secretary Zilla Sainik Board Darjeeling Tarun Kumar Singha said. 

The Zilla Sainik Board has sought the expertise of Olympian and Asian Gold medalist Jitu Rai who was felicitated during the ‘Rajat Samaroh’ at the Batasia War Memorial to mark the silver jubilee of the Kargil War victory.

"We did a recce of the existing building with Rai. The Olympian has found the structure suitable to house a 10-metre shooting range. Rai will help us with his technical expertise once the range is commissioned. We are already talking with the district administration and the hill council body," Singha said. 

The Gorkha War Memorial has been constructed by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, ostensibly to house war artifacts, memorabilia, and documents gathered by a private collector of Darjeeling.

The 2014 Asian gold medalist said it was a golden opportunity for the youths of the hills to have a shooting range. 

"It is a perfect plan of the Zilla Sainik Board. The existing structure is suitable and perfect for a shooting range. I feel it will be a very good opportunity for the young generation to make their mark for the country. I will extend all cooperation and help to provide the required technical and other expertise," Rai, who is a Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee, said.

The Zilla Sainik Board has also chalked out plans and identified land to establish a War Museum. 

"Just like the Batasia War Memorial is an international tourist destination, we intend to have a similar destination in the form of a War Museum. We will communicate with the West Bengal Government and the State Sainik Board and hope for their positive cooperation," said Singha.

To mark the 25 years of the Kargil war which concluded on July 26, 1999, the Zilla Sainik Board organized a felicitation for war widows and veterans, a drill by NCC cadets of three schools, and the launch of the book ‘Bravest of the Brave’ by Colonel P.K. Sharma (retd) who had fought in the Kargil war.