Relief for CWG silver medallist as Air India defers his pilot entrance test

Air India has said Navneet Singh, who was part of the four-member team that won India's first-ever lawn bowls medal at the Commonwealth Games, can appear next month for the pilot entrance exam scheduled for Sunday.

PTI had reported on Saturday that Delhi-based Singh, who aspires to be a commercial pilot, will be missing Air India's entrance exam on Sunday.

Singh is the youngest member of the quartet that secured the silver medal on Saturday.

"I recently got my commercial pilot licence and I have an exam with Air India tomorrow but I can't reach there. Now that we finally have a medal, it is okay," Singh told PTI after India lost the men's four finals to Northern Ireland.

On Sunday, Air India announced a relief to Singh, asking him to come next month to give his exam.

"Congratulations Navneet on winning Silver at the #CWG2022. We are happy to inform that you can appear for the exam next month and a communication on this has already been sent to you. Best wishes & keep our Flag flying high," the airline tweeted.

The silver medal following the gold-winning effort from the women's team has capped off a potentially game changing performance for India at the Games.

"We have heard that you are rewarded after winning medals. We finally have one now, so hoping better things are in store for us," said Singh, who like her coach Pinki accidentally picked up the sport when his school became a training facility for lawn bowls during the 2010 CWG in Delhi.

"I used to play cricket but Pinki mam got me into lawn bowls," said Navneet.

Pinki and Co had achieved a remarkable first for India by winning the women's fours gold.

Pinki, a sports teacher in DPS R K Puram in Delhi, happens to be Navneet's Coach as well.

"It can't get better than this with my student also now winning a medal," she said with a lot of pride in her voice.