Rahi makes a courageous return after battling neuropathic pain.

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New Delhi: Rahi Sarnobat vividly remembers that autumn day in 2022. After a disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics the previous year, Indian shooters were preparing for the Cairo World Championships, and Rahi, still feeling the weight of Tokyo, was eager for the first Olympic qualifier of the new cycle.

In the days leading up to the event, Rahi woke up one morning unable to control her right leg. “I couldn’t move it the way I wanted, and there was this constant tingling pain. I had no idea which specialist to see or who to talk to,” she shares. This was just the beginning of a tough 18 months for the talented pistol shooter.

After being diagnosed with neuropathic pain syndrome, Rahi experienced “a million different sensations” throughout her body, “from my eyelashes to my toes.” The shooting range and the World Championships took a backseat as her physical and mental well-being became her top priority.

The pain was excruciating. It’s hard to put into words. Out of nowhere, I’d get this tingling in my leg, followed by a sharp, stabbing pain in my arms, and then a jabbing ache in my back. It felt like it would never end—just awful and terrifying.

“There’s no clear explanation for this condition,” Rahi, 34, shares. She thinks Covid-19 might have played a part. Rahi caught Covid twice, both before and after her vaccination, yet she managed to compete at the Osijek World Cup and the Tokyo Olympics without any issues.

But once the neuropathic pain kicked in, it was relentless. Sitting on her couch, Rahi, who hails from Kolhapur, felt like she was sinking into quicksand. Sometimes, it felt like she was getting soaked in rain on a bright, sunny day. “I thought I was losing my mind. I had no clue what was going on with me.”

“This syndrome feeds off fear. If you’re anxious, the symptoms get worse, and it just keeps spiraling. It’s really hard to break free from it.”

Rahi found that while the medication eased her pain, it was really her determination that drove her recovery, along with some solid psychological support. “As an athlete, we’re trained to push through. My neurologist mentioned he’s seen people take 5-6 years to recover from this, and there’s no set timeline. So, I made up my mind to take action.”

To keep herself motivated, Rahi made it a point to connect with each of her four physiotherapists on different days, saying, “I wanted someone new to talk to about my feelings every day.” She also had regular sessions with a psychologist based in Germany—whose name she can’t share—who helped her cope with everything. Plus, she had the Paris Olympics on the horizon to keep her spirits up.

By the end of 2023, Rahi was back to shooting in her home range in Pune, but just standing at the firing point was tough. She had lost her neuro-muscular memory and the familiar feel of her equipment.

I really struggled to stay still for even five minutes because I just didn’t have the physical strength or focus. I needed to rebuild those neuropathic pathways from scratch. It took time, but my physiotherapists, gym trainers, and psychologist were all there cheering me on, she remembers.

Rahi went through the four-stage selection trials but didn’t make it to Paris. Watching Manu Bhaker break the Indian shooting medal drought at the Games motivated her to make a comeback. She lost 20kg, adjusted her grip, revamped her trigger, and made her return known at the current national championships.

“It had to happen this way. These past months have really shown me how important the little things in life are,” Rahi shares, after securing third place in her favorite 25m event at the nationals.

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