Shooting is secondary, will go if we are needed for the country, says Air Force shooter Ravi Kumar

As reports of both India and Pakistan shooting down each other’s’ fighter jets emerged on Wednesday, 10m air rifle shooter Ravi Kumar said he and his Air Force colleague Deepak Kumar were called up the Air Force to issue a set of instruction. The 29-year-old is part of the ground staff of Indian Air Force.

“I have got information that my boss has called me today at 2 pm. He will instruct me based on the current situation, because Pakistan has given us the threat now ,” Ravi told journalists at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range on Wednesday.

“Already all of my [IAF] colleagues are on duty, only Deepak and I are out. The whole Air Force is on alert. They have called us only for instructions as of now, as to the protocol we have to follow even when not on duty in the current situation. Even if we enter the Air Force Station now, there will be thorough checking,” he added.

Ravi, who didn’t make the final in either the 10m air rifle or mixed team event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup in Delhi, added that he was willing to go report to duty if called up.

“I am part of the ground staff, also Deepak. I am not a pilot, but if required even I will go. Shooting is secondary. If we are needed for the country anytime, we will go,” he said.

The tensions have spread across the region, with civilian air traffic in the area completely halted, and much of Northern India under high alert following the reports of air strikes.

On Tuesday, India said that its Air Force had struck a terror camp in Pakistani territory. Indian officials claimed Pakistani jets had violated the Line of Control and dropped bombs in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan soon claimed its jets had struck across the Line of Control from “Pakistani airspace”, and that it had shot down two Indian jets. Islamabad even claimed it arrested one Indian pilot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Meanwhile, ANI reported that India had shot down a Pakistani jet.

The Uttar Pradesh shooter is the reigning national champion in 10m air rifle. At the 2014 Asiad, he was part of the team with Abhinav Bindra and Sanjeev Rajput that won the bronze medal in 10m air rifle. In 2018, he bagged his first World Cup medal in Mexico, following it with a Commonwealth bronze and a mixed team bronze at the Asiad.