Olympian shooter Joydeep Karmakar was named the chief national rifle coach by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Saturday and will be in charge of the Indian continent till 2025, including the Paris Olympics 2024.
“It was a bit unexpected. But I always like to take up challenges and hence agreed to it,” Karmakar said during an interaction with the media on Saturday.
The 42-year-old Karmakar had missed a bronze medal by a whisker in the men’s 50-metre rifle prone event at the 2012 London Olympics. He said he understood his job will be scrutinised after Indian shooters returned empty-handed from the Tokyo Games last year and that his will focus as national coach will be on the mental strength of his wards.
“I know the time is short. I just got two years for the Paris event. But I am ready to give my best shot,” he said.
Karmakar has been running his own shooting academy in Kolkata since 2015 and hopes to be the coach he himself did not have.
“I feel I will be doing a better job in my new role as I personally didn’t have a coach ever since I started my career in 1989. I had to learn and unlearn many times from different experiences to reach my level of excellence,” Karmakar said.
Along with Karmakar’s appointment, came the announcement of his retirement as an athlete.
“I did not formally announce my retirement from the sport. But after receiving the confirmation of my appointment as the chief coach from the National Rifle Association of India, I have decided to bring curtains on my career as a shooter,” Karmakar said.
Joydeep Karmakar said that his first assignment starts from and will join the National camp ahead of the World Cup scheduled in Baku from May 25.
