Super-Mom: World No.1 shooter Elavenil Valarivan would love to emulate her mother's calmness at Tokyo 2020
On the occasion of Mother's Day, Olympics.com spoke to India's ace shooter Valarivan, who is in the team for the Tokyo Olympics
Family comes first. Elavenil Valarivan doesn't look beyond her home for idols and inspirational figures. She feels her family members have gone through enough to inspire her to push through difficult times.
Her mother Saroja Valarivan had been a professor at a college in Anand, Gujarat and has now become a principal at another college in Ahmedabad. Whereas her brother is in the Indian army.
"You don't have to go searching for inspiration when you have such personalities in your own family," stated world no.1 in 10m air rifle to Olympics.com.
Saroja Valarivan's day used to begin early in the morning. After taking care of household chores she would take a train from Ahmedabad and travel to Anand. After that, she had to take an auto and travel 20 km more to reach her destination.
"I have seen her work so hard. She has managed her work life and at the same time has taken care of me and my brother. She had to travel 160 km every day for her work and yet she never neglected family. She did it for 10 years," she narrated.
The shooter feels that there has always been an interesting equation with her mother.
"It is a love-hate relationship with her. I have fought so much with her and yet there has not been a single day when it goes that I am not talking to her. Every little thing I have to call her up and tell her.
"Every time I go down in a match I call her and cry still now. She doesn't scold me now. She says it's just over and we cannot scold you for something that you love to do," the 21-year-old revealed.
The primary trait of being a good shooter is remaining calm even when the odds are tilted against you. And this is one quality that Elavenil wants to imbibe from her mother.
"The amount of calmness she possesses is inexplicable. I want to inherit that from her. She is just too good at remaining calm in critical situations and managing it,
After a little pause, she added, "I have seen her go through a lot. But I have seen a stronger version of herself coming out every time.
Valarivan has been included in the 15-member Indian shooting contingent for the Tokyo Olympics for her consistent performances throughout the Olympic cycle, although Chinki Yadav had won the quota place for India. If the young shooter plays her natural game and remains composed, just like her mother, an Olympic medal should not be a distant dream.