Kolkata MCH doctor, mother win gold at shooting championship

Kolkata: Showing the world that it's never too late to follow your passion, a doctor and his mother from Kolkata have once again made headlines, inspiring many by winning gold medals at a state-level shooting championship.

Dr Rounak Basak, an anaesthetist at Calcutta Medical College, also known as Medical College Hospital Kolkata (MCHK), and his 60-year-old mother, Rita Basak, a retired school teacher, won gold in their respective categories in the championship hosted by the West Bengal Rifle Association on Sunday.

However, this is not the first time the pair has achieved their heights and impressed everyone. Back in August last year, the mother-son duo had both won gold at the state shooting championship - Rounak in the 10m air pistol and Rita in the 10m air rifle events.

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Dr Rounak, who was inspired by Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal win in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, had long dreamed of becoming a shooter since class 8. But due to academic pressure and financial issues, he couldn’t take up the sport earlier.

But now, from managing patients in the operating theatre to aiming range for shooting, the doctor had followed his passion and quickly made progress in the sport within just 2 years.

As per a latest media report by TOI, Rounak joined the North Calcutta Rifle Club in 2023, and in March 2024, he won his first medal, a bronze, at the Bengal Shooting Sports Academy in Serampore. He went on to win three medals, including a gold, in the state shooting championship in 2024 at three events.

He then participated in his first-ever nationals at Delhi in December 2024 at the 67th National Shooting Championship and has now qualified again for this year’s nationals.

Sharing his story of hard work, Rounak told TOI, "While pursuing MD in anaesthesia and critical care, I finally had the courage to take the leap. With some financial independence and determination, I decided to pursue this demanding sport, despite having no family link in shooting."

Rita Basak, a retired school teacher from Kamarhati, also took up shooting in 2023. Despite being one of the few women in the shooting ground, her journey was equally challenging as she chose to overcome her shyness and remained focused. She continued to practise alongside her son and finally achieved a milestone her life.

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