One fateful night from his childhood, Arjuna found himself dining alone in the dark as the oil lamp flickered out in a gust of wind. He continued his meal, and a revelation dawned on him. The illustrious third Pandava of the Mahabharata realised that he could achieve tasks even in obscurity. Thus, he devoted himself to nocturnal archery practice.
A similar nightly dedication unfolds when dusk envelops Jujumura, a village in Sambalpur district of Odisha. Archery coach Mitrabhanu Mohapatra, 58, gears up for his nocturnal watch, standing guard over the local high school.
While Jujumura drifts into slumber, Mohapatra meticulously lays out plans for the upcoming day’s archery practice. For over two decades, he has embraced this duty, eschewing marriage to honour a solemn promise made to his mentor on his deathbed, a commitment that has propelled him to foster a lineage of champion archers from the Adivasi heart of Odisha.
Beyond his role as a night-watchman, Mohapatra is a revered figure in countless households across the district. Since 2002, at the break of dawn, he can be found on the school grounds, coaching nearly 30 aspiring archers.
His unwavering dedication bore fruit when his students, Arnab Kumar Dehuri and Anwesha Dehuri, clinched gold and silver medals at the state-level championships. In 2012, the district administration acknowledged his efforts, inaugurating a dedicated archery room at Jujumura High School. Since then, he began receiving assistance in terms of modern training procedures from the Odisha Archery Association.
However, Mohapatra yearns for a full-fledged archery academy to nurture talents from Jujumura and nearby villages.
Students, predominantly from low-income Adivasi families in Sambalpur, benefit from his tutelage. Financial constraints dampened initial enthusiasm, as none of his students could afford modern archery equipment, which cost upwards of Rs 2 lakh.
However, Mohapatra’s firm resolve saw him invest three-quarters of his earnings from his job as a school guard in acquiring second-hand archery gear. He even secured a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh and crowdfunded to ensure no child’s aspirations were stifled by lack of resources.
Quiver full of dreams
Mohapatra’s journey hasn’t been devoid of challenges. He encountered discouragement from acquaintances.
“They questioned the returns on my investment. You should not punish yourself like this. Why these Adivasi children? You should get married and train your own child,” he said, revealing the skepticism he faced.
Yet, Mohapatra remained steadfast, guided by the voice of his late mentor Nimei Charan Budek. “My Gurudeb told me to keep the spirit of archery alive. Twenty years have passed since he entrusted me with the mission to ensure no child encounters obstacles in its pursuit. Since then, I have faithfully trodden the path he set before me,” he said.
Mohapatra reminisced about his introduction to archery in the wilderness of Jujumura. “When I watched my Gurudeb wield the bow, I felt compelled to try it myself, unaware that bows and arrows would become my lifelong saathi (friend),” he reminisced fondly.
“What you witness today is the modern rendition of archery. In the days of yore, when Jujumura was surrounded by dense forests, archery was a means of hunting and survival,” he said.
Mohapatra’s coaching style, steeped in tradition, embodies the discipline epitomised by Arjuna from the Mahabharata, symbolised by the ethos of never letting the bow touch the ground. “I teach them to rest the bow on a toe, a discipline followed by Arjuna,” he said.
His commitment extends beyond the archery field. He imparts life lessons gleaned from religious texts and employs traditional knowledge to maintain and repair equipment, saving substantial costs and ensuring the sustainability of his endeavour.
Aiming for bullseye
In this serene corner of the world, where nights usher in silence, Mohapatra has kept the flame of archery alive by transcending the boundaries of sport. His mentorship has enabled students to pursue higher education and assume coaching roles themselves.
Sudhanya Pradhan, once a protégé, now a sports teacher in Kashipur block of Kandhamal district, reveres Mohapatra as a father figure, acknowledging his support as the cornerstone of his success. “He held my hands at every step. Because of him, I am here. I know he will selflessly help all these children find their dream,” he said.
Mohapatra laments the lack of sustained government support, citing inadequate infrastructure to accommodate the burgeoning influx of students. Despite challenges, his archers have reaped recognition at various competitions, nurturing dreams of Olympic representation.
On the Jujumura High School grounds, which await proper revamping, the air resonates with the children’s pledge: “Hum honge kamyaab Olympic archer (We will become successful Olympic archers).” As echoes of determination reverberate across Jujumura, Mohapatra remains steadfast in guarding not just a school but the dreams of his students, aiming for a bullseye on a global stage.
Devashish Biswal is a Village Square Fellow ’23. He is also an aspiring Radio Jockey and a musician.
