New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS): Aashima Ahlawat’s journey to the Asian Games began with a bargain at home: excel in academics first, and then earn the freedom to pursue shooting. At 18, the Rohtak native delivered on her promise by scoring 98.6 per cent in her Class 12 board examinations. Four years later, the 22-year-old is set to make her Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Ahlawat’s introduction to shooting came after she was inspired by India’s performances at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Initially taking up pistol shooting, she eventually found her calling in the shotgun events.
“Seeing Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu on that stage, I remember thinking, I want to feel that someday,” Ahlawat said, recalling the moment that sparked her interest in the sport.
Coming from a business family with roots in construction, Ahlawat’s decision to pursue shooting also required a significant commitment from her mother, who relocated from Rohtak to Delhi to support her daughter’s training.
“My mother didn’t just give me permission, she gave up a lot for it,” she said. “She moved from Rohtak to Delhi, shifted our family business, just so I could train properly. That’s not something I take lightly.”
Her early journey was far from straightforward. It took nearly eight months for her to get her first shotgun and ammunition sorted, but the setbacks did little to diminish her determination.
“A medal is not the only thing that tells you how far you’ve come,” she said. “If something doesn’t go right, I look for the mistake, fix it, and come back stronger.”
That approach was put to the test at the 2024 World Championships in Peru, during the final year of her junior career. A miscalculation on the final target saw her finish fourth, but she responded weeks later by winning a bronze medal and setting a personal best at the World University Championships in Delhi.
Ahlawat credits the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) with playing an important role in her development, particularly through greater access to camps, competitions and ammunition.
“NRAI has made things so much easier for shooters like me, the camps, the competitions, even something as basic as steady access to ammunition,” she said. “People outside the sport don’t realise it, but it changes everything. The exposure I have got through NRAI camps these last two years, I don’t think I would have grown this fast without it,” she added.
As she progressed through the ranks, Ahlawat also had to find ways to manage the mental demands of a sport where concentration can be decisive. An admitted overthinker, she has developed a simple routine to settle herself before taking aim.
“I focus on my breathing, and honestly, I just play a random song on loop in my head at the station,” she said. “It’s my way of feeling calm and safe in a moment which is otherwise so lonely.”
Now, with her maiden Asian Games appearance approaching in Aichi-Nagoya, Ahlawat is choosing to focus on the immediate task rather than the medal at the end of it.
“My plan is target by target. I don’t want to think about the medal the whole time, I just want to stay present and enjoy the process,” she said.
The Asian Games, however, are only the next milestone in a larger ambition. Ahlawat already has her sights set on returning to the national team and eventually making her Olympic mark.
“The next big goal for me is to make the team again, earn an Olympic quota, and give my best at the Olympics. That’s the dream I’m chasing now.”
