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Who was Chandro Tomar? World's Oldest Sharpshooter Who Died Of COVID-19

Chandro Tomar began her sharpshooting career when she was over 65 years old. She came across shooting by chance when she decided to accompany her granddaughter Shefali to the Johri Rifle Club.

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Anoushka Das
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Shooting Range Chandro Tomar, shooter dadi dead ,chandro tomar dead
Chandro Tomar who was widely known by the name 'Shooter Dadi' passed away on Friday.
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She had been infected with the coronavirus, and eventually breathed her last at a hospital in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The octogenarian was admitted to the hospital on Monday after she developed a breathing problem.

Bollywood actors Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar paid their tributes to India's Shooter Dadi. They had both starred in the Bollywood film Saand Ki Aankh which was based on the lives of Chandro Tomar and her sister Prakashi Tomar. The film revolved around how they took up shooting as a career when they were in their sixties.

Prakashi Tomar too took to Twitter to mourn for her sister.

Here's what we know about Chandro Tomar, Shooter Dadi

  1. Chandro Tomar was born on 1 January 1932. She hailed from the village of Johri in Bagpat district, Uttar Pradesh.
  2. She never received any formal education and was married at the age of 15.
  3. She began her sharpshooting career when she was over 65 years old. She came across shooting by chance when she decided to accompany her granddaughter Shefali to the Johri Rifle Club. The girl was shy of going alone to an all men's shooting club, so Tomar decided to go with her.
  4. At the club, Tomar got hold of a pistol and began to shoot at the target. Farooq Pathan who was the club's coach was reportedly impressed with her shooting skills.
  5. He was the one who urged Chandro Tomar to take up shooting lessons and get trained. “She was so good some of the men stopped turning up altogether to avoid being humiliated by her, an old woman,” the club’s coach,  Farooq Pathan said. “She has the ultimate skill, a steady hand and a sharp eye.”
  6. Since 1999, she has won more than 30 national championships and is believed to be the oldest sharpshooter in the world.
  7. Her sister Prakashi Tomar also went on to become a sharpshooter. Her niece Seema Tomar was the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Rifle and Pistol World Cup in 2010.
  8. Shefali Tomar, her granddaughter has participated in International shooting competitions in Germany and Hungary.

Chandro Tomar shooter dadi
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