This story is from December 3, 2019

UP: How a Fatehpur school teacher who lost his leg shot to fame

UP: How a Fatehpur school teacher who lost his leg shot to fame
Amresh Kumar Singh had lost his right leg in a road accident
LUCKNOW: Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up for life anyway. Amresh Kumar Singh is among its finest examples. The Fatehpur school teacher who was a table tennis ace lost his right leg in a road accident, took up air rifle shooting, bagged four gold medals at the national para-shooting championship in Dehradun and on Tuesday, became the first primary teacher in the state to be awarded Prerna Strot.
The award is conferred by the government on those who inspire others with their extraordinary spirit and marks the International Day of Persons With Disabilities.
In the past 11 months, Amresh has won eight gold and silver medals at state and national meets, and has also qualified for the international para events. But, shooting happened by chance for this Kanpur native.
In 2017, after a bus hit his bike and cost him a leg, the Kuchwara primary school teacher did not have the Rs 15 lakh needed to buy a state of-the-art prosthetic limb that would allow him to compete in international table tennis championships.
Instead of losing hope, he decided to master shooting skills. He rented an air rifle and began practising at the Etawah shooting range after school hours.
Teacher

“The best part about shooting is that you don’t need to use your legs. I travelled four hours every day after school to practice. It was tough at times, but again it was a gift of mobility for someone who had been bedridden for months,” the teacher told TOI.
A year later, in January 2019, Amresh participated in a state-level para-shooting tournament in Lucknow. He won gold in 10m air rifle in both individual and team events. He also participated in .22-bore 50m rifle shooting and won a gold and a silver. In July, he won the four national gold medals (individual and team) in Dehradun.
Besides honing his shooting skills for the upcoming international meet, Amresh currently trains his students for football and khokho inter-school events. “The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it. I tell my students they can beat any team they want if they decide not to give up,” he said.
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