Piyush Goyal Hails India's Bronze in Men's Skeet Team at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Minister Piyush Goyal congratulated Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill and Mairaj Ahmad Khan on winning bronze in the Men's Skeet Team event at the Asian Games 2026, calling them 'the trio that made India proud.'
Key Takeaways
Anantjeet Singh Naruka , Bhavtegh Singh Gill , and Mairaj Ahmad Khan won Bronze in Men's Skeet Team at the Asian Games 2026 .
Union Minister Piyush Goyal posted congratulations on 24 September 2026 , praising the trio's 'skill, determination and teamwork.' Mairaj Ahmad Khan is a veteran Indian skeet shooter with prior Olympic and Asian Games experience.
Shooting has been one of India's most consistent medal-producing sports at the Asian Games, including multiple golds at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games .
The bronze reinforces India's depth in skeet shooting beyond individual headline performers.
Three Indian shooters climbed onto the continental podium on Thursday, 24 September 2026, and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was among the first to mark the moment — congratulating Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, and Mairaj Ahmad Khan on their Bronze Medal in the Men's Skeet Team event at the Asian Games 2026.
A trio, a bronze, and what it took
Goyal called them 'the trio that made India proud', citing 'skill, determination and teamwork' as the pillars behind the win. The medal adds to India's well-established record in shooting at the Asian Games — a discipline that has reliably delivered podium finishes at the continental level over successive editions.
Mairaj Ahmad Khan is the most decorated name in the group, with an Olympic appearance and Asian Games medals already on his résumé. For Naruka and Gill, the bronze represents another step in India's effort to build shooting depth beyond its headline names.
Shooting's steady place in India's Asian Games story
Shooting is one of the few disciplines where India arrives at the Asian Games not as an underdog but as a genuine medal expectation. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Indian shooters returned home with multiple golds, and the sport has consistently punched above its weight at continental level. The Men's Skeet Team bronze keeps that thread intact.
Ministers posting timely congratulations to athletes has become a fixture of India's sports-diplomacy playbook — signalling government visibility around athlete achievement and, implicitly, the broader push to frame India as a serious sporting nation ahead of major international calendars.
Eyes forward on the shooting circuit
For Naruka, Gill, and Khan, the Asian Games bronze is a confidence marker with the global shooting calendar still ahead — World Championships and Olympic qualification windows will test whether this team can convert continental bronze into global-stage ambition. The answer, if the Hangzhou trajectory holds, is worth watching closely.
Point of View
A continental bronze is also a statement of intent ahead of Olympic qualification cycles, where team dynamics and skeet-specific form will matter enormously. Goyal's post, brief as it is, reflects a well-worn but effective pattern of political visibility around sporting success.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won bronze in Men's Skeet Team at Asian Games 2026?
Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, and Mairaj Ahmad Khan won the Bronze Medal in the Men's Skeet Team event at the Asian Games 2026.
Who is Mairaj Ahmad Khan?
Mairaj Ahmad Khan is a veteran Indian skeet shooter who has represented India at the Olympics and has won medals at previous Asian Games and Commonwealth Games events.
What did Piyush Goyal say about the Asian Games 2026 shooting medal?
Minister Piyush Goyal called the trio 'the trio that made India proud' and congratulated them for showcasing 'skill, determination and teamwork' in winning the bronze medal.
How has India performed in shooting at the Asian Games historically?
India has been one of the stronger shooting nations at the Asian Games, winning multiple medals including golds at the 2023 Hangzhou edition, making the sport a reliable source of continental podium finishes.
What events come next for India's skeet shooters after Asian Games 2026?
India's skeet shooters will look towards ISSF World Championships and Olympic qualification tournaments as the next major milestones on the international shooting calendar.
