‘Shooter Dadi’ Chandra Tomar passes away due to Covid-19

New Delhi, April 30: Oldest Woman Shooting Champion Chandro Tomar popularly known as "Shooter Dadi" passed away after battling with COVID-19 on Friday. She was admitted to a Meerut hospital on April 26 after she tested positive for COVID19. She was 89 years old.

 

Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs shared the news of her demise on social media. He said, "An epitome of gender equality & champion of women's rights Smt Chandro Tomar, known as 'Shooter Dadi' by her fans and admirers is no more. The courage with which she challenged patriarchy and took up shooting as a sport will inspire generations to come. Condolences to her family."

 

 

She gained widespread popularity after she picked up shooting after crossing the age of 60. . She learned shooting in 1999 when she was in her 60s and has won over 30 national championships. Due to her age, people started calling her "Shooter Dadi".

  

 

 

She was believed to have been the oldest woman sharpshooter in the world. She won a gold medal at the Veteran Shooting Championship conducted in Chennai. Shooter Dadi won many awards in the senior citizen category including Sri Shakti Sanman presented by the President of India himself.

 

Her success has encouraged the local people to take up shooting as a useful sporting profession, including her granddaughters. The Bollywood movie "Saand ki Aankh" in 2019 was inspired by her and Prakash Tomar's lives.

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