PUNE: No Indian shooter could reach the podium on the opening day of the Tokyo Games, however, there was one Indian who did.
China’s Yang Qian won the coveted gold in women’s 10m air rifle event wearing Capapie jacket and trousers, a brand that is not only Indian, but is also preferred by majority of the rifle shooters at the ongoing Games.
In fact, four of the eight finalists, including Yang, wore Capapie during their match.
Capapie, which makes shooting kits, is run by former national-level shooter Nilesh Rane of Mumbai.
This is for the first time Chinese shooters have trusted an Indian brand for a precision sport like shooting.
“Almost all Chinese national and international shooters have been using kits made by our brand since the last two years,” Rane, who started his company in 2001, told TOI.
Rane informed that 71% men and 62% women rifle shooters participating at the ongoing Games use kits made by his company.
“Shooters from 80 countries order their kits from us,” he said.
Rane started manufacturing the jacket and trousers while he was still a shooter. “I first made it for myself. Then, it was very expensive and time consuming to order the kit from abroad and we didn’t get quality stuff in India. So I decided to make my own kit here. Once I found it good, I started making it for fellow shooters and the word spread,” he said.
Other than making the kits, Rane makes sure to give after sale service to the shooters. “We go to various international tournaments and set up our stall and give free service to our customers,” he said.
