Asian Games: Indian shooters target more gold from a young squad
Young Indian Shooting Squad Eyes Stronger Gold Return at Asian Games
Indiadailyupdate.com – India’s rifle and pistol shooters arrive at the Asian Games with a blend of established performers and a large group of first-time participants, carrying the confidence of a remarkable campaign in Hangzhou. The shooting range was central to India crossing the 100-medal mark at the 2023 Asian Games, where the contingent collected 22 medals: seven gold, nine silver and six bronze.
That result represented a major leap for Indian shooting. Before Hangzhou, the last Asian Games edition in which Indian shooters won more than 10 medals was Doha 2006, when they returned with 14. The 2018 Jakarta Games did not offer the same comparison because shooting had only mixed team events.
Only six members of the Hangzhou rifle and pistol teams have returned for this edition. Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Ashi Chouksey bring rifle experience, while Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Anish Bhanwala form the familiar pistol contingent. Their presence will be especially valuable in team competitions, where familiarity with elite pressure can help newer athletes settle into the occasion.
Debutants Add Fresh Energy
Ten shooters will be making their Asian Games debuts. The entire men’s 10m air pistol side — Kedarling Balakrishna Uchaganve, Aakash Bharadwaj and Kamaljeet — is new to the event. The 10m air rifle group also includes debutants Parth Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod.
Niraj Kumar and Tilottama Sen are set to compete in the rifle three-position events, while Suruchi Singh joins the pistol lineup as one of the country’s most exciting young prospects. The make-up of the team reflects an effort to develop depth alongside immediate medal ambitions.
Suruchi arrives after winning 10m gold at the Munich World Cup. She is part of a formidable women’s pistol unit featuring Bhaker, a double medallist at the Paris Olympics, and Esha, who has been India’s most consistent shooter in recent form. In Munich, Esha won silver alongside Suruchi on the 10m podium and also set a world record in the 25m event.
Bhaker and Esha will also compete in 25m pistol, with 2018 Asian Games gold medallist Rahi Sarnobat completing the group. On paper, it is one of India’s strongest medal prospects, combining proven international results with athletes who have already performed on major stages.
Focus on Gold-Medal Potential
The women’s pistol team and the men’s 50m rifle three-position team are expected to shoulder much of the responsibility for India’s medal count. Tomar and Patil provide the men’s 3P team with substantial experience, and their consistency will be important both in individual contests and team scoring.
“This time, the number of gold should be better. We have a strong team overall, especially our pistol women’s and 3P men’s teams are really very strong,” said national rifle coach Deepali Deshpande.
For Indian shooting, the challenge is not simply to repeat the volume of medals won in Hangzhou. The composition of the current squad means results will also offer a measure of how effectively the next generation is handling a high-pressure continental competition.
Deshpande believes the senior rifle shooters can make a difference for their younger teammates. Although shooting is fundamentally an individual sport, team events create a different kind of pressure, particularly when several athletes are experiencing the Asian Games for the first time.
“Though our sport is very individual, it matters who stands alongside you as part of the team. Otherwise, when everyone is as young or new as you, there’s a lot of pressure and responsibility on your shoulders,” said Deepali.
Patil, Tomar and Chouksey therefore have a role beyond their own scores. Their exposure to major international events can help create a steadier environment for teammates who are still adjusting to the scale, atmosphere and expectations attached to the Asian Games.
World Cup Exposure Shapes Long-Term Plans
India has deliberately used World Cups over the past year and a half to broaden its competitive pool. The programme included “A” and “B” teams, allowing more shooters to face international conditions before the Asian Games. The intent was to test athletes in unfamiliar settings and assess how they responded rather than relying only on domestic form.
“Himanshu, Parth, Vidarsa, they may be new to the Asian Games, but when it comes to their level, they are on a par with everyone. Our idea to give them exposure in World Cups was to make them shoot in different situations and conditions and help break those barriers,” she said.
In three World Cups this year, Indian shooters won one medal in Granada, four in Munich and four in Hangzhou. Three of those medals came in mixed team events. Suruchi, Esha and Sainyam Vij were the individual medallists, all in pistol disciplines. Sonam and Himanshu secured mixed 10m air rifle bronze in Hangzhou.
Those outcomes illustrate why the pistol events carry considerable expectation, but they also underline the importance of the emerging rifle group. International exposure is intended to reduce the uncertainty that comes with first appearances at a multi-sport event of this scale.
The Asian Games campaign also forms part of a longer runway toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Olympic quota events are due to begin soon after the continental competition, making the current event a valuable opportunity to judge readiness, composure and tactical decision-making.
“We were observing everyone, especially the newcomers, on how they handled situations, reacted to international arenas and other such aspects,” said Deepali. “I think all that exposure will definitely translate into results at the Asian Games.”
India’s shooters now have an opportunity to show that Hangzhou was not an isolated high point. A successful run would reinforce the depth of the current programme, reward the investment in younger competitors and place the team on firmer ground for the Olympic cycle ahead.
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