'Shooter Dadi' Chandro Tomar dies of COVID-19
Chandro Tomar, nicknamed 'Shooter Dadi,' died due to COVID-19 on Friday. She was 89. Tomar was believed to be the oldest woman sharpshooter in the world along with her sister-in-law, Prakashi Tomar (84). The lives of the two octagenarians had notably inspired the 2019 Bollywood film Saand ki Aankh ("Bull's eye"), which starred Bhumi Pednekar as Chandro and Taapsee Pannu as Prakashi.
Tomar was being treated in Meerut
Earlier on Monday, Tomar had announced on Twitter that she had tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing difficulty in breathing. She was admitted to a hospital in Meerut where she was undergoing treatment. Prakashi shared a photo of the two of them on Twitter saying, "Mera saath chooth gaya. Chandro kaha chali gayi!! (She has left me. Where have you gone, Chandro?)"
You can view Prakashi's tweet here
Tomar first picked up a gun in her 60s
Tomar, who hailed from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, first picked up a gun in her 60s while taking her granddaughter to a shooting club. Tomar hit the bull's eye, impressing the coach, and went on to practice as a shooter. She started competitive shooting at the age of 65 and won over 30 national championships along with several other honors.
'Feels like a part of me is gone,' says Pednekar
Reacting to her demise, Pednekar tweeted saying that she was devastated by the news. "Feels like a part of me is gone. She made her own rules & paved the path for many girl (sic) to find their dream. Her legacy will live on in them," she said. Pannu wrote, "You will live on forever in all the girls you gave hope to live."
'An epitome of gender equality,' says Union Minister HS Puri
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also mourned the loss, calling Tomar "an epitome of gender equality" and a "champion of women's rights." "The courage with which she challenged patriarchy and took up shooting as a sport will inspire generations to come," Puri tweeted. Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also tweeted, "I'm deeply saddened by tragic demise of our most lovable Dadi Chandro Tomar ji."
