‘Still I Rise’ – A tattoo that inspires shooter Manu Bhaker

Chandigarh: “You may write me down in history, with your bitter, twisted lies, you may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I’ll rise’ - a poem ‘Still I Rise’ by the poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, has been a source of motivation for millions. 

It inspires people to rise above difficulties and discouragement. Now, India’s Olympian shooter, Manu Bhaker, who experienced a rough patch during and after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has found inspiration in ‘Still I Rise.’

Winner of multiple World Cup medals, Bhaker, who had a dismissal outing in the Tokyo Olympics, where she even suffered a pistol malfunction, has got a ‘Still I Rise’ tattoo on the back of her neck to keep herself motivated, no matter what.

“Success and failure are part and parcel of a sportsperson's life. But the most important thing is how you deal with the downfall and prepare yourself to bounce back,” said Manu Bhakar, who is competing in the 25m sports pistol in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. 

“Still I Rise is not mere words, but the phenomenon to prove your worth even when you are down. These words are a great source of motivation for me, and it adds to my determination that, no matter the failures that may come, I am confident that I will rise."
 
Bhakar was in Chandigarh last month for a function of the Aryan Mann Foundation, in which the sports kits were distributed to the young budding players of hockey, football and baseball, and largely these players were from humble backgrounds.

At the age of 16, Bhakar became one of the youngest Indian sportspersons to win gold in the Commonwealth Games. She secured gold in the 10m air pistol event in the 2018 Gold Coast Games. Called a teenage shooting sensation, she went on to win nine gold and two silver medals in the World Cups before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which was held in 2021 due to COVID). 

Considering her form in the World Cups, Bhaker was seen as a strong medal hope for India in Tokyo Olympics, but she couldn't live up to expectations in her favourite 10m air pistol individual event as well as in the mixed-team event and also missed to make it to the finals of the 25m pistol event.

After the Olympics, Bhaker had undergone a tough time, facing a lot of criticism for her disastrous performance in Tokyo and later she even lost her position in the national squad for her favourite 10m air pistol event.

After Tokyo, she struggled to regain her past form and managed to win a bronze (25m Pistol) in the World Cup in March this year and also got two medals in the World Championships (2022, 23) in the team category. Before Tokyo, she had 11 World Cup medals to her credit.

“When you are down, the only thing is never to give up and remain consistent in your hard work to achieve greater success,” said Bhaker while sharing her own experience of ups and downs in her sports ongoing career. Now, she is back and eyeing a medal in the 25m sports pistol event in the continental games. The 10m air pistol event is also in her scheme of things for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I had a tough time overcoming what had happened in the Tokyo Olympics, but I was confident that I would be back and that I would rise. I can relate the words ‘Still I Rise'’ and their essence in my shooting career. ‘Still, I Rise’ is a great inspiration for me, so I decided to get it inked,” said Bhaker, whose 25m sports pistol event in the Asian Games is on September 27. She, along with Rhythm Sangwan and Esha Singh, is also part of the team event.

“I had been planning for the tattoo (Still I Rise) for quite some time, but as it’s a permanent tattoo, I had to be doubly sure about where I wanted it to be,” said Bhaker. “I didn't want a tattoo in a visible body part because I didn’t want it to outgrow me. Over time, constantly looking at the tattoo, I might outgrow it, so I thought of getting it on the back of my neck. I got it inked in December last year. And what I can say, the Tokyo Olympics is a past and still I rise.”

Indian shooting squad for the 2023 Asian Games:

Men's squad:

50m rifle 3-positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Swapnil Kusale, Akhil Sheoran.

10m air rifle: Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar.

25m rapid fire pistol: Anish, Vijayveer Sidhu, Adarsh Singh.

10m air pistol: Arjun Singh Cheema, Shiva Narwal, Sarabjot Singh.

Trap: Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Toindaman, Zoravar Singh Sandhu.

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Gurjoat Singh Khangura, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa.

Women's squad:

50m rifle 3-positions: Sift Kaur Samra, Manini Kaushik, Ashi Chouksey.

10m air rifle:  Ashi Chouksey, Mehuli Ghosh, Ramita.

25m sports pistol:  Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Esha Singh.

10m air pistol:  Divya TS, Palak, Esha Singh.

Trap: Rajeshwari Kumari, Manisha Keer, Preeti Rajak.

Skeet: Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, Darshna Rathore.

Mixed team:

10m air rifle: Divyansh Singh Panwar, Ramita; Mehuli Ghosh, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar.

10m air pistol: Sarabjot Singh, Divya TS; Esha Singh, Shiva Narwal.

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Parinaaz Dhaliwal; Ganemat Sekhon, Gurjoat Singh Khangura.

Shooting schedule

September 24

Women’s 10m Air Rifle individual and team qualification round: 6:00 AM to 7:15 AM

Women’s 10m Air Rifle individual final: 9:15 AM to 9:55 AM

Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol individual and team qualification round: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM   

September 25

Men’s 10m Air Rifle individual and team qualification round: 6:30 AM to 7:45 AM

Men’s 10m Air Rifle individual final: 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM

Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol individual and team qualification stage 2: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM      

25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Individual) final: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM

September 26

10m Air rifle (mixed team) qualification: 6:30 AM to 7:00 AM 

10m Air rifle (mixed team) Bronze medal match 1: 8:15 AM to 8:40 AM

10m Air Rifle mixed team Bronze medal match 2: 8:40 AM to 9:05 AM

10m Air Rifle mixed team Gold medal match: 9:05 AM to 9:30 AM

Women’s 25m Sports Pistol individual and team qualification: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Men’s and Women’s Skeet individual and team qualification stage 1: 6:30 AM to 12:00 PM

September 27 

Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions individual and team qualification: 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM

Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions individual final: 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM

Women’s 25m Sports Pistol individual and team qualification: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Women’s 25m Sports Pistol individual final: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Men’s and Women’s Skeet individual and team qualification stage 2: 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM

Women’s Skeet eventual shoot-off: 10:30 AM

Men’s Skeet eventual shoot-off : 11:00 AM

Women’s Skeet final: 12:00 PM

Men’s Skeet final: 1:00 PM

September 28

Men’s 10m Air Pistol individual and team qualification: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Men’s 10m Air Pistol individual final: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Skeet mixed team qualification: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Skeet – eventual shoot-off: 9:30 AM

Skeet mixed team Bronze medal match 1: 10:30 AM

Skeet mixed team Bronze medal match 2: 11:00 AM

Skeet mixed team Gold medal match: 11:30 AM

September 29

Women’s 10m Air Pistol individual and team qualification: 6:30 AM to 7:45 AM

Women’s 10m Air Pistol individual final: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions individual and team qualification: 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM

Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (individual) final: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM

10m Air Pistol mixed team qualification: 6:30 AM to 07:00 AM

September 30

10m Air pistol mixed team Bronze medal match 1: 8:15 AM to 8:40 AM

10m Air pistol mixed team Bronze medal match 2: 8:40 AM to 9:05 AM

10m Air pistol mixed team Gold medal match: 9:05 AM to 9:30 AM

Men’s and Women’s Trap individual and team qualification stage 1: 6:30 AM to 1:00 PM      

October 1

Men’s and Women’s Trap individual and team qualification stage 2: 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM    

Women’s Trap -- eventual shoot-off: 11:00 AM

Men’s Trap – eventual shoot-off: 11:30 AM

Women’s Trap Gold medal match: 12:30 PM

Men’s Trap Gold medal match – 1:30 PM