Dr Iman Kalyan Samanta is a medical professional passionate about shooting and training sharpshooters for competitive sports, including the Olympics. Ruchira, in a candid interview with him, exclusively for Different Truths.
A doctor wielding a stethoscope or scalpel is imaginable. A medical professional with a rifle is bound to leave you gasping. He leaves the gun behind while doing his rounds at the hospital. Does the name Iman Kalyan (aka Yaman Kalyan) ring a bell? It might, but only for Hindustani classical music lovers since it is the name of a prominent Raga.
No, the gentleman in question doesn’t sing though he profoundly loves music, so he says. Having carved out a successful career, this Kharagpur-based paediatrician, Dr Iman Kalyan Samanta, is not resting on his oars. A professional (rifle) shooter, he has established and runs a shooting academy in his hometown. He teaches juvenile shooters to aim for the stars – and ultimately, the Olympic gold.
Ruchira: Your life revolves around your twin passions – medicine and an offbeat sport. How did it happen?
Dr Iman: I was born and brought up in Kharagpur. You could say that being in the medical profession was scripted out for me. My father is a doctor, a self-made man who rose through his struggles. My mother is a beautician. The two of them sacrificed a lot for the proper upbringing of their children. My sister is a doctor too. Coincidently, much wife is a dentist who again hails from a family of doctors.
I was very keen on shooting sport right through my adolescent years. Unfortunately, I didn’t know or hear of any institution in the vicinity where I could embark on learning this sport. When I first entered the Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College in Wardha, Maharashtra. It was an excellent experience for me, very prestigious but at the same time requiring tremendous hard work.
For postgraduate studies, I opted for paediatrics with a specialisation in neonatology. To this end, I joined another esteemed medical institution in Mumbai. Through all these years of academic challenges, I nurtured a strong inner desire to take up something special, something that would afford me immense mental satisfaction.
Ruchira: After studies, how did your life shape up?
Dr Iman: After my academics and training, I returned to my native town and plunged seriously into medical practice. After a while, the shooting bug bit me, so I joined the Midnapore rifle club. Slowly and gradually, I moved on to other district shooting associations of Midnapur. I participated in several district and open competitions. At the district level, I bagged three individual and two team medals. Later, at the state level, I garnered two team- and one individual awards.
However, I was still unsatisfied. I had to do more, I felt. So aided by my family and its resources, I founded an Aim for Gold academy in our town. My family still owns and runs it. To further promote shooting as a sport, I teamed up with a few like-minded friends, formed a cooperative society and set up a shooting club. We named it the East India Shooting Club. Under its banner, we organised the first-ever big bore rifle competitions in West Bengal.
Ruchira: Why didn’t you participate in the Nationals?
Dr Iman: It was tricky managing my profession and hobby. Competing at that level requires lots of time, coaching and mental training. But now, I am trying to overcome all that. And I am planning for every desired facility to be provided by our academy and the club.
Ruchira: Like a Pro, what, in our opinion, is lacking in India’s shooting arena?
Dr Iman: I feel we are lagging because, in several states, shooting has not been encouraged enough. Moreover, shooting gear and other accessories are expensive. Add to it the lack of efficient coaches and training facilities. These loopholes need to be plugged in.
Ruchira: What role does your academy play?
Dr Iman: We impart the essential training to the young girls and boys who aspire to take the sport as a profession seriously. For finer tuning, we bring in coaches and veterans from Kolkata and other parts of the country.
Ruchira: Does India’s shooting sport have a bright future?
Dr Iman: Sure enough, it does. Over the last two decades, our sharpshooters have performed brilliantly, raking in national medals. Shooting champions like Abhinav Bindra and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore have become icons and a source of inspiration for juniors. There is growing awareness about this discipline. Yes, the stars are shining.
Ruchira: Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
Dr Iman: I make all-out efforts (in my humble way) to enhance our country’s potential to win medals at prestigious global events like the Olympics. That’s my primary goal. I also envisage establishing a league of trap shooting on a pan-India basis, with professional and corporate involvement. I dream of making shooting a popular sport in India.
Photos sourced by the interviewer.
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