Sift Kaur Samra
– Photo: Social Media
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Punjab shooter Sift Kaur Samra, who was selected in the Hangzhou Asian Games team, preferred winning a medal for the country over MBBS. In 2021, Sift, who got admission in MBBS through NEET in Medical College, Faridkot, came to a time this year when she had to choose between MBBS and shooting. The 21-year-old Sift, who won a medal in the 50m 3 positions event at the Bhopal World Cup earlier this year, chose shooting and opted out of medicine and enrolled in physical education at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Sift says that doctor’s studies and shooting could not go on simultaneously. He had to choose between the two. He and his parents chose the shooting.
First left the exams for shooting
Sift, who is going to Paris with the Indian shooting team to get used to the range of the Paris Olympics, says she was unable to appear for her MBBS exams due to non-completion of 80 per cent attendance due to shooting. Even during that time he had a big religious dilemma whether to choose exams or shooting, he chose shooting even then. Now she had to study for the first year again to pursue MBBS, but when she climbed the podium and the country’s flag went up during the medal winning Bhopal World Cup, her head was held high with pride. His father Pawandeep Singh and he then decided to leave MBBS.
Shooting started five years ago
Sift started shooting five years back. Last year, he won a gold, two silver and a bronze in the Junior World Championships. After this he made a place in the senior team and now he is included in the Asiad team. Sift says she is also going to play in the World Universiade in China this month, where she will get to experience a multi-sports sporting event. In particular, they will get to know about food, which will benefit them in the Asian Games.
Brother left shooting and adopted medicine
Sift’s father is a farmer, but his family is a family of doctors. Four to five of his cousins are doctors. His younger brother is also a shooter and has won a medal in school nationals. According to Sift, he qualified NEET after his 12th exam, but has given up shooting and will pursue medical studies.