CM Fadnavis hails India's Silver in Men's 50m Rifle 3P Team
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulated Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Tomar, and debutant Niraj Kumar on claiming silver in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at Asian Games 2026, underlining India's strong rifle tradition at continental competitions.
Key Takeaways
Rudrankksh Patil , Aishwary Tomar , and debutant Niraj Kumar won the Silver Medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at Asian Games 2026 .
Niraj Kumar made his Asian Games debut in this event, making the medal especially notable.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis publicly congratulated the trio on 25 September 2026 .
India's rifle teams have a strong record at the Asian Games, including multiple medals at the 2023 Hangzhou edition .
The result carries added significance with 2028 Los Angeles Olympics selection cycles now underway.
Three Indian shooters — two seasoned campaigners and one debutant — stepped onto the podium at the Asian Games 2026, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was quick to mark the moment. On Friday, 25 September 2026, Fadnavis posted a congratulatory message for Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Tomar, and debutant Niraj Kumar after the trio won the Silver Medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event.
Patil, Tomar and debutant Niraj Kumar on the podium
Fadnavis wrote, 'Precision, Focus and Silver Glory — Heartiest congratulations to Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Tomar and Asian Games debutant Niraj Kumar on winning the Silver Medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the Asian Games 2026!' The Chief Minister added that he wished 'many more victories and proud moments ahead' for all three athletes, signing off with the hashtags #AsianGames2026 and #Cheer4Bharat.
Rudrankksh Patil and Aishwary Tomar are established names on the Indian shooting circuit, each carrying experience from senior international competitions. The third member of the team, Niraj Kumar, stepped onto the continental stage for the first time — making his Asian Games debut count with a medal around his neck.
India's rifle tradition at continental Games
Indian rifle teams have built a formidable record in the 50m events across successive editions of the Asian Games. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, India's shooting contingent returned home with multiple medals including golds, continuing a momentum that stretches back to the 2018 Jakarta edition. National training programmes and centralised target ranges have been central to keeping that pipeline flowing.
The Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event demands exactly the qualities Fadnavis named — precision and focus. Competitors shoot from three stances (kneeling, prone, standing), and a team format amplifies the pressure: every point counts across all three athletes.
What the silver means on the road to Los Angeles
With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics cycle now firmly in view, performances at the Asian Games serve as critical form-guides for national selection committees. A podium finish in a team rifle event signals both individual competence and the ability to perform under the composite pressure of a team format — precisely the data selectors need.
State leaders across India routinely amplify national sporting achievements, and Fadnavis — whose Maharashtra has produced several of the country's top shooters — has made a habit of publicly celebrating their milestones. The congratulation reinforces domestic visibility for a sport that punches well above its popular profile.
Three rifles, three athletes, one silver — and an Olympic clock already ticking.
Point of View
But it also reflects a deliberate political choice to keep shooting — an Olympic-pathway sport with relatively low mass viewership — visible in the public conversation. India's consistent podium haul in rifle events at the Asian Games has become a benchmark that national selectors and sports bodies now leverage when building their LA 2028 squads. Niraj Kumar's debut medal is the kind of data point that can fast-track a young athlete into the Olympic long-list. The broader pattern: state governments increasingly use social media celebrations to claim soft ownership of national sporting success, tying athlete achievement to regional pride.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the silver medal in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team at Asian Games 2026?
Rudrankksh Patil , Aishwary Tomar , and Niraj Kumar won the silver medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the Asian Games 2026 .
Who is Niraj Kumar, the Asian Games debutant?
Niraj Kumar is an Indian rifle shooter who made his Asian Games debut at the 2026 edition , becoming part of the silver-medal-winning Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team.
Why did Devendra Fadnavis congratulate the Indian shooting team?
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulated the trio because they won a silver medal at the Asian Games 2026 , a major continental multi-sport event, and as CM he regularly highlights national and state sporting achievements.
What is the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event?
The Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event requires competitors to shoot from three stances — kneeling, prone, and standing — at a target 50 metres away, testing a comprehensive range of shooting skills.
How has India performed in shooting at recent Asian Games?
India had a strong shooting haul at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games , winning multiple medals including golds, continuing a tradition of excellence that dates back to at least the 2018 Jakarta Games .
