Star rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan has made headlines by winning two silver medals in both the individual and team events of the women’s 10-meter air rifle competition at the Asian . Her remarkable performance has brought pride to Gujarat and India on the international stage.
In recognition of her achievements, Gujarat’s Deputy ,Harsh Sanghvi, honored Elavenil with a check of ₹1.33 crore under the ‘Sports Talent Award Scheme.’ Previously, she had received ₹74 lakh in financial assistance through various state government initiatives.
Elavenil expressed her excitement about her accomplishments and the encouragement from the government, viewing it as motivation to continue improving. “I am very grateful to the government, especially the state government, for initiatives that empower athletes both physically and mentally. With these programs, India is certainly moving towards becoming a recognized sporting nation,” she stated.
To date, Elavenil has won over 40 medals in national and international competitions. Her parents are proud of their talented daughter, sharing that she began her shooting career in 2012 while in the eighth grade. Her initial success came with a at the school level, which spurred her to pursue the sport further.
Her father, R. Valarivan, noted, “She started her career in shooting in the eighth grade. Her first medal was a bronze at school level, which motivated her to continue. She has won numerous medals at both national and international levels, achieving nearly 46 medals internationally.”
Elavenil’s mother, Sarojha Valarivan, highlighted the Gujarat government’s commitment to sports promotion through initiatives like DLS, Sports Mahakumbh, and Shaktidoot, which provide training and state-of-the-art facilities for athletes. This support has enabled talents like Elavenil to emerge.
Amit Gamit, Assistant Director of the Gujarat Sports Authority in Gandhinagar, explained that under the District Level Sports School scheme, the state government invests ₹1.5 lakh per athlete. Additionally, the academy scheme allocates around ₹3 lakh for selected athletes, and the Sports Talent Award provides amounts ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹5 crore for talented individuals.