Mandaviya hails India's silver in Men's 50m Rifle 3P Team at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya praised Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, and Asian Games debutant Niraj Kumar after the trio clinched silver in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Key Takeaways
India won the Silver Medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
The winning trio comprised Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar , Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil , and Niraj Kumar .
Niraj Kumar was making his Asian Games debut , converting his first appearance into a podium finish.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the team on September 25, 2026 under the #Cheer4Bharat campaign.
Shooting has been a consistent medal-winning discipline for India at the Asian Games, including multiple medals at the 2022 Hangzhou edition.
The result bolsters athlete profiles ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle.
Silver glints from the rifle range at Aichi-Nagoya as India's shooting squad delivers another high-calibre moment at the Asian Games 2026. Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday, September 25, congratulated Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, and debutant Niraj Kumar on claiming the Silver Medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event — a discipline that demands near-perfect composure across kneeling, prone, and standing positions.
Three shooters, one platform, a debut to remember
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar is among India's most experienced rifle shooters, having represented the country at the Olympics and across multiple ISSF World Cup circuits. Alongside him, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil — who built his reputation through ISSF World Cup medals and standout junior international performances — brought technical precision to the squad. The third name is the one that carries the freshest story: Niraj Kumar, flagged explicitly by Minister Mandaviya as an Asian Games debutant, converted his first appearance at Asia's biggest multi-sport stage into a podium finish. First appearances do not come with guaranteed silverware. This one did.
Shooting's place in India's Asian Games identity
Shooting has been one of India's most reliable medal factories at the Asian Games for over a decade. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Indian shooters secured multiple medals including gold, reinforcing the discipline's status as a cornerstone of the country's continental campaign. The 50m Rifle 3 Positions event is particularly demanding — athletes must demonstrate mastery across three distinct shooting stances, making team coordination as critical as individual skill. A silver at this level is not a consolation; it is a statement.
The road to Los Angeles runs through podiums like this
Beyond the medal itself, performances at Asian Games 2026 feed directly into the selection and Olympic qualification picture ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. For a debutant like Niraj Kumar, a silver at Aichi-Nagoya is the kind of credential that shapes a career trajectory. For Tomar and Patil, it deepens an already significant international portfolio. Minister Mandaviya's congratulatory post, tagged with the official #Cheer4Bharat campaign, reflects the government's sustained emphasis on celebrating sporting achievement as a point of national pride.
India's rifle shooters have proved once again that the range is one of their most dependable addresses for glory — and with Los Angeles two years away, the timing could not be sharper.
Point of View
Where the discipline has become a near-certain medal column for the country. Minister Mandaviya's rapid public congratulation under the #Cheer4Bharat banner signals the government's deliberate strategy of amplifying sporting wins as part of a larger national-confidence narrative. The inclusion of a first-time Asian Games competitor in a medal-winning team also reflects the depth of India's emerging shooting pipeline. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, results like this carry weight well beyond a single podium.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the silver medal in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team at Asian Games 2026?
India's team of Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, and Niraj Kumar won the silver medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Where are the 2026 Asian Games being held?
The 2026 Asian Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Who is Niraj Kumar, the Indian shooter at Asian Games 2026?
Niraj Kumar is an Indian rifle shooter who was making his Asian Games debut at the 2026 edition in Aichi-Nagoya, where he helped the team win a silver medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event.
What is the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event in shooting?
The 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event requires athletes to shoot from three different stances — kneeling, prone, and standing — over a distance of 50 metres, testing precision and composure across all three disciplines.
What did Sports Minister Mandaviya say about India's Asian Games 2026 shooting silver?
Minister Mansukh Mandaviya posted his 'heartiest congratulations' to the trio of Tomar, Patil, and debutant Niraj Kumar on winning the silver medal, tagging the achievement under the government's official #Cheer4Bharat campaign.
