'Shooter Dadi' Chandro Tomar dies due to Covid-19

Chandro Tomar, who was popularly known as "Shooter Dadi" died from Covid-19 at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut town, about 450 kilometres from here, on Friday.

Eighty nine year old Tomar, who was a resident of Johari village in Baghpat district of UP, had tested positive for coronavirus and had difficulty in breathing, according to sources.

She was admitted to the hospital in Meerut town on Monday. Her condition deteriorated on Thursday night, and despite best efforts by the doctors, she could not be saved.

"Mera saath chhoot gaya, Chandro kaha chali gayi (She has left me, Chandro where have you gone?)," her sister-in-law Prakashi Tomar, who is also one of the oldest female sharp shooters in the world like Chandro, wrote on her Twitter page.

She had become famous as "Shooter Dadi" after she, at the age of 60, won several medals in state and national shooting competitions.

Well-known Bollywood producer/director Anurag Kashyap had made a film "Saand ki Aankh" (Bull's Eye) in 2019 featuring Tapasi Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar and Prakash Jha in the lead roles. The film was based on the lives of shooters Chandro Tomar and Prakashi Tomar.

Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar took to Twitter to mourn her death. "Devastated by the news of Chandro dadi's demise. Feels like a part of me is gone..Am lucky I got to know her and be her.....You will be missed so much," Pednekar wrote in her message.