Sanjeev Rajput Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More
Bio/Wiki | |
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Other Name | Sanjeev Rajput OLY [1]Instagram- Sanjeev Rajput |
Profession(s) | Retired Junior Commissioned Officer from the Indian Navy and Air Rifle Shooter |
Physical Stats & More | |
[2]ISSF Sports Height | in centimeters- 178 cm in meters- 1.78 m in feet & inches- 5’ 10” |
[3]ISSF Sports Weight | in kilograms- 78 kg in pounds- 172 lbs |
Body Measurements (approx.) | - Chest: 40 inches - Waist: 32 inches - Biceps: 12 inches |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Shooting | |
Events | AR60, FR3X40, FR60PR, and R3X40MIX |
Coaches/Mentors | • Felix Thomas • Oleg (from Ukraine) • Randhir Singh (national coach) |
Handedness | Right |
Master Eye | Right |
Medals | Gold Commonwealth Championships • 2010: 50 m rifle 3 positions event in Delhi • 2010: 50 m rifle 3 positions pairs event in Delhi • 2010: 50 m rifle 3 positions badge event in Delhi ISSF World Cup • 2011: In 50m Rifle 3 Positions event in Changwon • 2021: In 50m Rifle 3 Positions ISSF World Cup in New Delhi Commonwealth Games • 2018: In 50 m rifle 3 positions event in Gold Coast Silver ISSF World Cup • 2010: 10m Air Rifle event in Sydney • 2016: 50m Rifle 3 Positions event in Baku • 2019: 50m Rifle 3 Positions event in Rio de Janeiro • 2021: 50m Rifle 3 Positions event in New Delhi Commonwealth Games • 2014: 50 m rifle 3 positions event in Glasgow Asian Games • 2010: 10 m air rifle team event in Guangzhou • 2018: 50 m rifle 3 positions event in Jakarta Palembang Commonwealth Championship • 2010: 10 m air rifle event in Commonwealth Championship in New Delhi • 2017: 50m rifle 3 positions event in Brisbane Bronze Commonwealth Games • 2006: 50 m rifle prone (singles) event in Melbourne Asian Games • 2006: 50 m rifle 3 positions team event in Doha • 2014: 10 m air rifle team event in Incheon |
Award | Arjuna Award 2010 |
Personal Life | |
Date of Birth | 5 January 1981 (Monday) |
Age (as of 2021) | 40 Years |
Birthplace | Yamuna Nagar, Haryana |
Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
Nationality | Indian |
Hometown | Yamuna Nagar, Haryana |
School | SD Public School, Jagadhri, Haryana (1985-1999) |
College/University | • Calorx Teachers University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat (known as Sabarmati University) • Indira Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh |
Educational Qualifications | • BA in Humanities/Humanistic Studies (2014-2017) • MA in Physical Education Teaching and Coaching (2018-2020) [4]LinkedIn- Sanjeev Rajput |
Controversy | He was accused of sexual assault by one of his female co-shooters in 2016. She said that they were in a relationship for almost two years, and Sanjeev even promised her that he would marry her. An FIR was filed against Sanjeev under sections 376 and 328 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at theHinjewadi Police Station, Pune, Maharashtra. [5] The Asian Age In the FIR she mentioned, "The coach had recently visited my residence in Chanakyapuri on my birthday and allegedly offered a drink which was spiked with sedatives.” Sanjeev denied all such allegations. He was even suspended by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) from the position of coach in 2016. In an interview, while talking about it, Sanjeev said, "Disappointments have come at crucial phases of my life. Either I can say, why does this happen to me? Or I can say, ‘OK, let’s make the most of whatever is left. That’s why I’m focusing on the new barrel; get it ready on time to begin a new chapter in my life.Yes, I am jobless. I doubt anyone will give me a job now. But no one can stop me from opening a private range in some corner of this country after I retire. They also can’t stop me from securing an Olympic quota and possibly an Olympic medal in Tokyo. I want to forget that unsavoury past. I do not want these negative thoughts to clutter my mind. Therefore, when I was preparing for my Olympics this time, I made a conscious decision to forget the incident." |
Relationships & More | |
Marital Status | Unmarried [6]ISSF Sports |
Family | |
Wife/Spouse | N/A |
Parents | Father- Krishan Lal (worked as a street food vendor) Mother- Name Not Known |
Siblings | He has an elder brother. (image in parents' section) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Sanjeev Rajput
- Sanjeev Rajput is a retired officer from the Indian Navy and Air Rifle Shooter.
- In an interview, he shared that in his childhood, he used to be very naughty, and his neighbours and his friends’ parents used to complain about his naughty behaviour.
- He joined the Indian Navy as a sailor in 1999. He was then promoted as a Junior Commissioned Officer, and after serving the Indian Navy for almost 14 years, he got retired from his job. While he was in the navy, he started developing an interest in shooting. In an interview, while talking about his initial days at shooting practice, he said,
There are no shooting ranges on ships, so we fixed a target on the quarterdeck with long sticks and hooks and took aim. The ship lurched, the target swayed and standing on the unstable deck with those heavy assault rifles, we took aim. That experience aroused my interest in shooting. I liked that feeling.”
- Initially, he practiced shooting with various weapons like pistols, carbines, and big-bore rifles. He then started his training in shooting under the navy shooting coach Felix Thomas. During an interview, while talking about Sanjeev, Felix said,
Despite no prior experience, he had the perfect temperament to be a good shooter. He was god-gifted with his technique and within a short time, he was winning medals in the domestic circuit.”
- In 2002, he was selected in the Indian Navy’s shooting team and participated in various inter-ship shooting competitions.
- After getting trained for a few years, he participated in various shooting competitions at the national and international levels including ISSF World Cup and Olympics. With his performance in 10 m and 50 m air rifle competitions, he has brought many laurels to India. In an interview, while talking about his performance in the Olympics, he said,
At both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, I narrowly missed the finals in 3P. The third time I qualified, for Rio, I was dropped. But if you look at (Abhinav) Bindra and Gagan Narang, they both won medals in their third outing at the Olympics. The first time a person goes, it’s (Olympics) a new world for him. The second time, still some preparations are left but the third time a shooter is thoroughly prepared. I was not given that third opportunity. Getting dropped for Rio, I thought I should quit the sport.”
- In 2007, he made a National record by scoring 1170/1200 at the ISSF World Cup, Fort Benning, Georgia, USA, and in 2011, he broke this record by scoring 1181 points. [7]Sportstar- The Hindu
- He was offered a job as a police inspector in the Haryana Police in 2014.
- He was appointed as a shooting coach in February 2015 by the Sports Authority of India, New Delhi. In an interview, while talking about his coaching tenure, Sanjeev said,
The best thing that happened when I coached was that as I taught my technique, I could rewind and further improve my technique. It was a blessing in disguise as my basics became very strong. In 2016, I won the World Cup silver in Baku and followed it up by qualifying for two World Cup finals in 2017. Then came the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold with a record score in 3P.”
- On his victory in 2018, on winning the silver medal in the Asian Games, he was congratulated by the Amul India on its Facebook account.
- He represented India in shooting at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 which was held in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- During an interview, Sanjeev shared his journey as a shooter. He said,
I belong to a very poor family, so the sooner I got a job, the better; that was foremost on my mind,” he says. I had only done 10+2 and was going to take admission in graduation and pursue a B.Sc, but a fixed source of income was more important for me. There is a lot of pressure on me as I have to also look after my ageing parents. Thankfully, my pension from my previous employers – the Navy and funding through TOPS – Target Olympic Podium Scheme – help me with my training. I have no experience in any other profession. I cannot be a banker or a teacher in school. Since I am a sportsperson, I have dedicated every day of my life to become a better shooter.”
- In his leisure time, he loves to read books and do adventurous activities.
- He is a dog lover and has a pet dog named Tokyo.
- Sanjeev loves to try different cuisine, and his favourite fast food is pizza.
- He is a follower of the Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. [8]Instagram- Sanjeev Rajput
- To maintain his fitness and focus, he regularly practices Yoga.
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