New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) : India’s star shooting contingent will be vying for glory at the Asian Games 2026, with 30 shooters set to compete for medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Games 2026.
India have a strong squad with a blend of experience and youngsters, with the likes of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rahi Sarnobat headlining the contingent. The shooting competitions run from September 20 to October 1 as India will be competing in Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun events.
Bhaker, Esha and Rahi headline India’s line-up in the pistol events. Bhaker enters the Games as a double Olympic bronze medallist from Paris 2024 and a gold medallist from the Hangzhou 2023 Games in the team event. She will compete in both 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol.
Meanwhile, Esha made headlines in the Asian Games 2023 after winning silver in individual and team events. Esha will compete in 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol. She is also the 2023 World Champion.
Suruchi, Kamaljeet, Kedarling B. Uchaganve and Aakash Bhardwaj will also be vying for medals in the 10m Air Pistol field, with Suruchi also featuring in the Mixed Team event.
In the 25m Pistol event, Manu and Esha will be joined by veteran Rahi, who won a gold at the 2018 Asiad, while Anish will compete in the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event. Anish will be featuring in the Rapid Fire Pistol competition.
The Rifle event has the likes of Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh B. Patil and Elavenil Valarivan, among others. The squad brings together proven international performers and a number of young shooters who have made their mark at the global level.
Aishwary will compete in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event. He is a reigning silver medallist from the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 and is also a former World Cup gold medallist and Asian champion.
Niraj Kumar will be joining him in the 50m 3P event, while Ashi Chouksey, Tilottama Sen and Vidarsa K. Vinod will be featuring in the women’s event.
Rudrankksh, who has major championship experience under his belt, will compete in both 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions.
India fielded Elavenil Valarivan, Parth Rajesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa K. Vinod in the 10m Air Rifle events.
Elavenil is a former World Cup gold medallist and an Asian champion, while Parth is a former Junior World Champion.
The Shotgun squad also blends experience with youth. Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi and Shapath Bharadwaj will be featuring in the trap event in the men’s competition, while Aashima Ahlawat, Manisha Keer and Neeru will be vying for medals in the women’s event.
Chenai is a gold medallist from the men’s trap team event and a bronze medallist in the individual category from the 2023 Asian Games. He will be competing in men’s Trap and the Trap mixed-team event.
Neeru is heading to the Aichi-Nagoya Games after winning gold in women’s Trap at the 2025 Asian Championships and a World Cup gold in Lonato, Italy in 2026. She became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in a trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup.
Anantjeet Singh Naruka will be participating in the Skeet and Mixed Team events. He is a Hangzhou Asian silver medallist.
Speaking ahead of the marquee competition, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, NRAI President, highlighted India’s strong shooting squad for the Asiad. “India’s shooting contingent for the Asian Games represents a strong combination of experience, international exposure and young talent.
“Our athletes have worked hard through the season and are entering the Games with valuable experience from World Cups, World Championships and Asian-level competitions. The Asian Games will be an important opportunity for them to compete at the highest level and represent the country with confidence and pride. We wish the entire contingent the very best for their competitions in Nagoya,” Kalikesh Narayan said.
Pawankumar Singh, NRAI Secretary General, emphasised the depth of the Indian shooting contingent. “The depth of the Indian shooting squad across Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun reflects the progress of the sport in the country. We have athletes with experience of major international competitions alongside young shooters who have already demonstrated their potential on the global stage.
“The NRAI has worked closely with the athletes and support staff in preparation for the Asian Games, and we look forward to seeing the contingent put its preparation into competition when the events begin,” Pawankumar said.
