CM Majhi Hails India's Shooting Double at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi lauded Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat, and Manisha Keer for winning Silver in the Women's Trap Team event at Asian Games 2026, and separately praised Dhanda's Individual Gold — a rare double in the same discipline.
Key Takeaways
Neeru Dhanda won Gold in the Women's Individual Trap event at the Asian Games 2026 .
Neeru Dhanda , Aashima Ahlawat , and Manisha Keer together claimed Silver in the Women's Trap Team event.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi publicly congratulated all three athletes on 29 September 2026 .
The achievements represent a rare individual-plus-team medal double in the same shooting discipline at a continental Games.
Shooting remains one of India's consistent medal-earning sports at Asian Games level.
The 2026 Asian Games are being hosted by Japan .
A gold and a silver in the same discipline, by the same shooter, on the same day — Neeru Dhanda delivered a stunning double at the Asian Games 2026, and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was quick to salute the achievement on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
CM Majhi congratulated Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat, and Manisha Keer on clinching Silver in the Women's Trap Team event, then offered a separate salute to Dhanda for topping the podium individually — taking Gold in the Individual Trap event. 'A remarkable double achievement that has brought immense pride to the nation,' Majhi wrote, tagging it under #NariShakti — women's power.
Dhanda's Individual Gold caps a rare clean sweep
Winning a team medal and an individual medal in the same discipline at a continental multi-sport event is rare. It demands not just peak form on a single day but the consistency to sustain elite-level shooting across multiple rounds and formats. Neeru Dhanda did exactly that, first anchoring the trio of herself, Aashima Ahlawat, and Manisha Keer to team silver, then returning to the individual range to claim the top prize.
Trap shooting requires competitors to break clay targets launched at varied angles and speeds — a discipline that rewards explosive reflexes and ice-cold composure in equal measure. India has built a steady record in this event family at Asian Games level, and this podium adds another chapter to that tradition.
Shooting's place in India's Asian Games medal cabinet
Shooting has long been one of the more reliable medal sources for Team India at the Asian Games. From the rifle and pistol ranges to the trap and skeet courses, Indian shooters have returned home with hardware across successive editions of the Games. The 2026 edition, hosted by Japan, is shaping up as another productive campaign — and the Women's Trap podium is an early signal of that.
Political leaders routinely acknowledge such moments publicly, but Majhi's specific call-out of #NariShakti frames the achievement in a wider conversation about women athletes carrying India's flag at the continental level — a conversation that has grown louder with every Games cycle.
For three shooters who stepped onto an international range and delivered under pressure, the medals speak clearly enough. The question now is whether the Indian shooting contingent can keep the scoreboard moving through the remaining events in Japan.
Point of View
But the '#NariShakti' tag signals how governing parties frame women athletes as proof of empowerment narratives — a pattern that has intensified across successive Games cycles. India's shooting programme has quietly become one of its most reliable continental-medal pipelines, yet it rarely dominates the national conversation the way cricket does; podiums like this one offer politicians an opportunity to change that perception. For the athletes themselves, the dual-medal haul by Dhanda in particular puts her name in line for post-Games government recognition schemes. Watch whether formal felicitations or cash awards from the Odisha or central government follow.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Neeru Dhanda?
Neeru Dhanda is an Indian trap shooter who competes in international events and won both Individual Gold and a team Silver in the Women's Trap event at the Asian Games 2026.
What is the Women's Trap Team event at the Asian Games?
The Women's Trap Team event is a shooting competition where teams of athletes attempt to break clay targets launched at varied angles; India's trio of Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat, and Manisha Keer won Silver at the 2026 edition.
Where are the Asian Games 2026 being held?
The Asian Games 2026 are hosted by Japan.
What did Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi say about the shooters?
CM Majhi described the achievement as 'a remarkable double' that has brought 'immense pride to the nation,' congratulating all three team medalists and specifically highlighting Neeru Dhanda's Individual Gold.
Why is shooting important for India at the Asian Games?
Shooting has historically been one of India's most consistent medal-producing sports at the Asian Games, contributing across rifle, pistol, trap, and skeet disciplines in successive editions.
