Miles away from hometown in Hyderabad, Indian shooter Esha Singh, 21, stood at the podium as she clinched gold at ISSF World Cup in Munich, on the same date.

She made a World Record in the women's 25 metre pistol event with 43 points from a possible 50! That's when the loudest applause probably came from the stands, where her parents were cheering for her. On Global Day of Parents, today, the spotlight is on Esha's parents and the sacrifices they've made all along.

For those who know this family's journey, know that the recent gold-winning moment carried a weight far beyond the feat as this was a dream that belonged as much to the parents as to their daughter. Zooming the lens on the Singh household, in Hyderabad, and one observes how it was built around sport and speed. Sachin, Esha's father, had carved out a name for himself in Indian off-road rallying and ran a sports goods store on the side. He was, in every sense, a man in motion. Until his daughter gave him a reason to change gears and dream for her. "Esha was nine when she got into shooting. Though, I had a sports store but never any shooting equipment. I always knew she was a talented sports person as whatever she played, be it badminton or even go-karting as a kid, she would excel. But once she set her heart on shooting, I knew that if she was to do this professionally and represent the country then there was only one thing she would need and that is discipline. And for her to remain disciplined, I needed to stand by her and guide her through her dream. So, I retired to make a dream come true."

"I was so accustomed to the high decibels at dad's rallies. I think that is also what attracted me to shooting... A pistol shot is loud," says Esha, who grew up in the world of engines and its thrill made her journey to the shooting range feel less like a departure and more like a continuation in the world of sports. She shares with a smile, "Growing up, I was always around cars and bikes, hearing all about these from dad. I even tried go-karting. It was all adrenaline. But, it was something at the shooting range where my father took me, first in 2014, which just felt like home! It might seem like my sport is calmer as compared to his, but that is not true. In a way, the sound of a car racing and a shot fired are the same."

The father-daughter duo travelled across the country and even abroad to chasing the dream that had with time become common while third protagonist of the tale guarded the home front. Sachin recalls, "My wife, Srilatha would stay at the store, managing everything (to keep the family's finance inflow in check) while we were away. Esha's first pistol cost ₹70,000, which was almost double of what I spent on my first bike! Then we built her a small range at home, which was cathartic for me too. It felt like I was back in a car garage again, post retirement."