Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

“I am indebted to the Indian Army, from my birth till now; I have grown and imbibed the indomitable spirit of this fighting force.”

“One must put things in perspective - I've been given a circumstance with very little time to catch form and try and get an Olympic quota for the country.”

“Once an Armyman, always an Armyman.”

“In a democratic set-up, people who are being governed should also be a part of the governing system. They should be drafted into the governance.”

“In army, I went to Kashmir and did well, which was a challenge. In sports, I went to Olympics at a time when no one believed that we can actually win. Coming into politics was also a challenge as I wanted to push the youth to achieve gold in various fields of life.”

“You can't say what the outcome of a competition is going to be, so now I am ready to accept any result that comes my way, if I give my best shot.”

“I am confident of doing well because I am enjoying my sport again.”

“I know politics and politicians are hated, but I still believe in goodness of a heart that has selfless intentions. With the grace of God, I will make a difference.”

“In sports, I was representing my country, but in politics I represent people directly. I have always lived with a cause. In army, it was the existence of the sanctity of nation and the men I was commanding, and in sports, it was the pride of my country, while in politics, it is the rights of citizens I am fighting for.”

“There is always anxiety before a competition and it was no different for me today. It was only in the third round, with about 40 targets left, that I realised I could match the world record score.”