In the busy corridors of Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, Dr. Archana Singh’s days are defined by precision. As a radiologist, she spends her hours analysing scans and ultrasounds. However, since late 2022, the clinical precision had found a new calling. And in 2026, clinching the Bronze Medal in 10m Air Rifle at the 68th National Shooting Championship (NSCC), she is a doctor with a difference.
Securing the Bronze Medal for the 10m Air Rifle Master Women event, the 47-year-old doctor found herself alongside World Champion Anjali Bhagwat (Silver) and Olympian Tejaswini Sawant (Gold) at the NSCC podium.
Her journey didn’t begin in a sports academy, but at a “fun shooting event” organised at her residential complex Utalika, a few years ago. While most residents were shooting for leisure, Archana was hitting targets with an uncanny, natural rhythm. The coaches from the Joydeep Karmakar Shooting Academy (JKSA) noticed immediately — this wasn’t just beginner’s luck; it was a dormant talent.
She pursued her MBBS at Medical College, Kolkata, followed by an MD at IPGMER.
“I started shooting casually and did not notice when I became serious about it. I realized that while academics is vital, we must never stop exploring our inner selves,” Singh said.
“When I was young, I used to love shooting balloons at fairs and I was very good at it but I never thought of it as a sports career. At that time, I wanted to be a doctor. I have done my MBBS from Medical College, Kolkata and MD from IPGMER, Kolkata. After joining the JKSA Shooting academy after my husband’s motivation, initially I started practising once weekly and gradually increased it to thrice before the state-level and national-level events,” she said.
The transition from a full-time government doctor to a competitive athlete was anything but easy. Her schedule became a masterclass in time management, juggling work and college responsibilities. However, instead of private practice, she headed to the shooting range.
“Today, my daughter playfully calls me a “micro-celebrity”, but for me, the mission is deeper. You live only once, so live it better and it is never late to start a thing which you love,” Dr. Singh said.
She now advocates for a change in Indian culture, urging both the state and central governments to promote sports as a lifelong pursuit, not just a childhood hobby. By balancing her responsibilities as a mother, a doctor at a premier government hospital, and a national-level shooter, she has proven that one’s “inner self” is always waiting to be discovered.
“I want to take it further…It is never too late to start what you love,” she said.
“The age at which I started is definitely uncommon but age is just a number. We all live once and we must do everything we can to fulfill our dreams. I won several club-level medals within the state, annual state shooting championship, east zone and two consecutive medals in National Championship in 2024 and 2025 held in Bhopal. I was happy that I came 3rd in the 68th NSCC held from 24th December 2025 to 2nd January 2026,” she said.