50 border girls attend Army-sponsored air rifle and pistol competition in Jammu

Jammu, Jul 13 (PTI) Around 50 girls from border villages participated in an air rifle and pistol competition in the Akhnoor sector here, a defence spokesman said.

The competition, part of the 25th anniversary of Kargil ‘Vijay Diwas’, was held to instil confidence and a sense of self-defence in the girls, as well as to inspire them to actively participate in the defence of the country in the future, the spokesman said.

During this unique competition, the spokesman said the participants – all from the last border village of the Pallanwala sector – were taught the basics of weapon handling and firing techniques.

The competition was held after seven days of training, during which the children fired, he said, adding this initiative by the army filled the rural girls with tremendous enthusiasm.

“I am very excited by the army’s initiative. This program has given me confidence and helped me recognize a new talent within myself. I want to pursue this skill further and earn a name at the state and national level”, the spokesman said, quoting one of the participants.

According to army officials, the two main objectives of the initiative were to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality and to create a strong and capable citizen who can play a significant role in the defence and advancement of the country.

During the competition, some girls displayed exceptional talent in air rifle and pistol shooting, they said, adding “If provided with the right resources and guidance at the right time, these girls can excel at the state and national levels.”