Anjali Bhagwat is a pioneer in Indian shooting. By reaching the Olympic final in Sydney in air rifle in 2000, on a “hardship quota”, Anjali made the whole country take note of the sport. She went on to win a bunch of medals in the global arena. At her best, she was the “Champion of Champions” among the elite men and women.
Even as she has been guiding youngsters in the Olympic sport, Anjali, with her husband Mandar Bhagwat and a battery of engineers, has been able to design and develop Fundook, a laser-based shooting system for rifle and pistol.
It is a pellet-less shooting sport, played at a distance of five metres, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), that is safe, accessible, cost-effective with zero maintenance and recurring cost.
“We have Fundook Purple, developed in collaboration with EnAble India and Medallion Foundation. It uses advanced sensors on an electronic target and a patented technology that offers real time, sound-based feedback through a wireless app. This enables visually impaired athletes to aim and shoot with Olympic level accuracy, providing them an opportunity to compete and pursue their passion for the sport,” explained Mandar.
While Anjali is a co-founder and brand ambassador, Mandar and team have been able to set up Fundook shooting ranges in Pune, Ahmedabad and Jalandhar. The Fundook arena can easily be set up in homes, offices, schools, colleges and clubs, helping everyone enjoy safe shooting in familiar environments.
“We will soon be launching new ranges in Bengaluru and Hyderabad apart from establishing a bigger set-up in Pune,” said Mandar, who has been working diligently to develop the sport and take it across the country, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Even though it is being introduced as a recreational activity for all, Fundook could be a nice way to start in shooting sport before graduating to the 10, 25 and 50-metre ranges with real rifles and pistols.
“The use of real, national-level weapons fitted with rechargeable laser technology ensures an authentic shooting experience. The original trigger and peep sight mechanism are maintained. The target sizes are calibrated to provide an almost identical target sight picture both with rifle and pistol,” explained Anjali.
“Fundook promotes improved focus, concentration, fitness and mind control ”Mandar Bhagwat
Moreover, research is on to introduce a “laser spot trainer” that can be mounted on the shooter’s regular weapon. This device, designed for professional shooters, integrates with the Fundook App and provides a flexible, convenient way for shooters to train, record and analyse their performance in real time.
“It is fun, as the app helps you compete with others. It also helps one to improve focus, aim, trigger control, body stability. Shooting sport requires a high degree of discipline, patience and mental fortitude. Fundook fosters these qualities, leading to personal development,” said Anjali.
This could be ideal for schools, to introduce shooting to the youngsters. There is a provision to generate performance and improvement analytics reports that could help in the identification of high performers who can move on to regular shooting.
It is beneficial for beginners and intermediate level shooters who wish to improve their basic skills.
“It promotes improved focus, concentration, fitness and mind control,” observed Mandar.
The electronic sport may have many advantages, but the objective was to have the fun element in shooting to draw the younger generation away “from their screens” and encourage them to engage in a more physically interactive game.
Indian shooting thrives on the world stage as thousands of people in different age groups enjoy their time in the sport. With laser shooting, the sport is bound to become more popular and affordable, leading to a larger pool of talent that can train its sight on Olympic glory.
