Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the eminent shooter came into the spotlight when he won the first individual silver medal for India in the Men’s Double Trap shooting event at the Summer Olympics of 2004 in Athens.

Personal Life of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was born on January 29, 1970 in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan in an army background. While his father, Laxman Singh Rathore, is a Col. in the Indian Army and his mother, Manju Rathore, is a teacher.

Rathore was such an able cricket player that he was about to be selected in the Madhya Pradesh state cricket team for the famous Ranji Trophy in India. However, since he was only in class 10 at that time, his mother discouraged him to go in the team, as she wanted him to complete his preliminary education. Eventually, Rathore was not selected for the team.

He, then, appeared in the National Defense Academy examination and cracked the test. Subsequently, as army personnel, Rathore continued to show his talent in the Indian Army as well.

He fought against separatist militants in Indian-administered Kashmir in Kargil War 1999. While he was posted in Mhow, he started shooting. He took up competitive shooting only in 1998 just after his marriage  to Dr. Gayatri an army doctor. They have two children a son, named Manav, and daughter, named Gauri.

Won Various Shooting Championships

In addition of winning Olympics Silver medal, In 2005 Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Melbourne, he was the member of the winning team in the double trap event. He won the gold in the individual and team events in Men’s double trap at the 2005  Asian Clay Shooting championships at Bangkok.

Awards & Honors

• As Major in the Indian Army, Rathore was conferred with the ‘Sword of Honor’ from Indian Military Academy in 1990.

• Lt. Colonel Rathore was rewarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), a gallantry award for services he has provided, especially for        fighting terrorists in    Kargil war.

• Rathore was conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honor in India, for the year 2004.

• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also received the Padma Shri.

Tags: athens olympics 2004, famous people rajasthan, jaisalmer rajasthan, rajyavardhan singh rajasthan, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, silver medal for india, summer olympics of 2004