Puri hails Kamaljeet & Suruchi's Asian Games shooting gold
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A gold medal and a shattered continental record — India's shooters delivered something special on Friday, September 25, 2026. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri celebrated the feat on X, lauding Kamaljeet and Suruchi Inder Singh for their dazzling run in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Final at the Asian Games 2026.
484.6 — the number that rewrote Asian history
The pair finished the final with a combined score of 484.6, claiming the gold medal while simultaneously erasing Uzbekistan's long-standing Asian Record of 481.3. That is a margin of 3.3 points — a decisive, not lucky, demolition of the previous benchmark. Puri did not mince words: 'Our champions took the record beyond the previous mark of 481.3 held by Uzbekistan.'
The mixed team air pistol format demands both precision and composure under pressure, with pairs trading shots in an elimination-style final. To win gold and set a continental record simultaneously is the rarest double — it means Kamaljeet and Suruchi were not just the best in the room on the day, they were the best Asia has ever seen in that event.
Shooting's place in India's Asian Games story
Shooting has been one of India's most reliable medal sources at the Asian Games across successive editions. The 2023 Hangzhou Games saw Indian shooters return a strong haul, building on the momentum from the 2018 Jakarta edition. The sport's infrastructure — national academies, target-based selection, and international exposure tours — has steadily elevated India's competitive ceiling.
A new Asian Record in the mixed team pistol event is a signal, not a surprise. It reflects years of structured preparation, and moments like this tend to accelerate government investment in the pipeline behind the champions.
A minister's megaphone for national pride
Puri is the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas — not the sports portfolio — but senior cabinet members regularly amplify Indian sporting wins as part of a broader national-pride communication strategy. His post, carrying hashtags #AsianGames2026, #TeamIndia, #Shooting, #GoldMedal, and #AsianRecord, channels the government's collective enthusiasm for medal-winning athletes on the world stage.
India's eyes now turn to its remaining shooting events and the overall medal tally as the Asian Games 2026 continue. If Kamaljeet and Suruchi's gold is any forecast, the range is far from done.