If shooting at a senior world event at 15 is not enough, Anish Bhanwala will arrive from his maiden ISSF World Cup in Mexico at the dead of night and sit for a class X Board paper at the crack of dawn.
In the six-day gap between his arrival from Guadalajara and departure for the Junior World Cup in Sydney, Anish will appear for two papers.
"He is arriving at 2 in the morning and will be appearing for his paper early morning," Anish's father Jagpal told PTI.
It is appropriate that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in an unprecedented move, agreed to reschedule three papers for the highly talented boy, and his father believes this should become a norm.
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"Isn't it unfortunate that children have to choose between studies and sports? We are grateful to the Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India, the national federation, CBSE and his school," Jagpal told PTI.
Not long ago, Jagpal was knocking on the authorities' doors to help his son overcome the crisis.
"I am really delighted that such a step has been taken. And that's how such cases should be dealt with in the future," Bhanwala senior said.
He said his family was filled with gratitude.
Anish is in line to make the final of men's 25m rapid fire pistol in Guadalajara.
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He has been granted special dates for Hindi, Social Science and Mathematics papers, which will be held on April 16, 17 and 18.
The CBSE took the decision on the request of the Sports Authority of India, who made the request after Anish had approached them.
Anish has already missed the Hindi paper which was on Tuesday. The Social Science paper is scheduled for March 22 and Mathematics for March 28.
The shooter, who will return only after the Commonwealth Games in April, will write the three exams immediately after that.
For its part, the National Rifle Association of India has also written to the school authorities that Anish be allowed to take exams later as he is important to India's shooting campaign.
Besides the tournament in Mexico, he is part of the teams for ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney, March 19 to 29 and the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. March 30 to April 15.
Anish had beaten the seasoned Gurpreet Singh at the nationals in rapid fire event. He then came up with good scores in the trials at the Karni Singh ranges in Tughlakabad.
(PTI)
