Home is the archer home from the field

By Anupam Soni

The archer is back home -- after the triple Golden haul -- reminding us of the famous Robert Louis Stevenson poem ‘Requiem’ which he concludes with these lines: Home is the sailor, Home from sea, And the hunter home from the hill. Of course, there is a clear difference -- In ‘Requiem’, the poet talks about his last journey having been finished successfully. Here, in the case of Ojas Pravin Archana Deotale, the star archer of India, the journey has just begun -- to greater heights, to greater fame in the future. Having helped India in making the tricolour fly high with the national anthem being played for three times in a span of a few days, city’s world champion archer Ojas Deotale feels, “nothing is more thrilling than seeing the tricolour fly high.” He was proud to have contributed to India’s huge success at the Hangzhou Asian Games which concluded the other day. Deotale, who bagged all the golds in offer in the compound archery event winning the men’s individual, mixed team and men’s team events in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza, got a rousing welcome upon his arrival at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport on Wednesday evening. The atmosphere at the airport was filled with excitement, a sense of pride and patriotism as chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ kept reverberating before and after the arrival of the latest favourite son of the soil who was traditionally welcomed with a ‘tilak’ and ‘aarti’.

Deotale’s family members, relatives, friends and well-wishers were in festive mood wearing ‘safa’ as they welcomed the man of the moment. Deotale then turned towards the waiting scribes. “I was delighted to see national flag go up in China. I am at loss of words to express my excitement. Nothing is more thrilling than seeing the tricolour fly high and I am proud to have contributed in India’s huge success,” said Deotale making the opening statement. “It is a huge achievement returning with a hat-trick of medals. This was possible only due to important contribution and blessings from my parents, elders and well-wishers,” he added. A day earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Team India for an excellent show where India surpassed a century of medals. “Modiji expressed his happiness and urged us to work harder to achieve more success in Paris Olympics and next Asian Games,” Deotale spoke about Modi’s reaction. On the most tense moment in the Asian Games, Deotale recalled the mixed team final. “South Korea is among the best teams in the world. It was a very close final and we were (partner Jyothi Surekha) feeling the heat. But our foreign coach pepped us up and we could manage a one-point win.”

On his suggestions and inputs to upcoming archers, Deotale said, “Work harder, stay focused, keep faith in your abilities and respect elders.” Deotale’s alma mater — Shangrila English High School and Junior College, Sangam, Hingna from where he passed his matriculation and School of Scholars, Atrey Layout where he studied from Std I to VIII, made their presence felt holding welcome placards. Politicians including MLA Mohan Mate and Congress leader Girish Pandav were among the first ones to reach the airport to receive the bowman. The dhol tasha beats continued till the archer left the airport for Sai Mandir off Wardha Road where he paid obeisance to Sai Baba thanking him and seeking more blessings. Later, the convoy of cars and two wheelers waving the national flags, reached Sakkardara Square where Deotale addressed a gathering before a final ‘Vijay Rally’ took him home at Ganesh Nagar, Nandanvan.