Puri hails silver by Indian shooters at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod Kochalumkal, and Ashi Chouksey on winning silver in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the Asian Games 2026, praising their composed and determined performance on the big stage.
Key Takeaways
Tilottama Sen , Vidarsa Vinod Kochalumkal , and Ashi Chouksey won silver in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at Asian Games 2026 .
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated the trio on 26 September 2026 via X.
The 50m Rifle 3 Positions event covers three shooting stances — prone, standing, and kneeling — making it one of the most demanding disciplines in the programme.
The silver adds to India's growing medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games .
All three medallists represent India's emerging generation of competitive rifle shooters.
Three young Indian women rifle shooters stood tall on one of Asia's biggest stages, bringing home silver in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the Asian Games 2026. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated the trio — Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod Kochalumkal, and Ashi Chouksey — for their composed, medal-winning performance on Saturday, 26 September 2026.
Posting on X, Minister Puri wrote: 'A composed and determined performance from our young shooters, delivering on the big stage and bringing another medal home for India.' The choice of words — 'composed and determined' — underlines what makes rifle shooting so demanding: it rewards nerve as much as skill, especially across the gruelling three-position format that requires athletes to shoot from prone, standing, and kneeling positions over 50 metres.
The 3-Position discipline: why silver here means something
The Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event is among the most technically complex on the shooting programme. Each athlete must master three distinct body positions, switching between them under competition pressure — a format that separates the consistent from the exceptional. A silver medal in this event signals that India has depth, not just individual brilliance, in a notoriously difficult discipline.India's rifle shooting rise at the Asian Games
Indian shooters have built a steady record of medals in rifle and pistol events at successive Asian Games editions. Each Games cycle has added new names to the country's shooting roll of honour — and Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod Kochalumkal, and Ashi Chouksey now join that list. The team result also points to a widening talent pipeline: all three are part of a younger generation stepping up to continental competition. With India's medal haul across sports continuing to grow at Asian Games 2026, the shooting contingent's contribution keeps the national tally ticking — and keeps the spotlight on a sport that has become one of India's most reliable sources of international hardware.Point of View
The shooting contingent's steady contribution strengthens the argument for sustained state backing of non-cricket disciplines.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the silver medal in Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team at Asian Games 2026?
Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod Kochalumkal, and Ashi Chouksey won the silver medal for India in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the Asian Games 2026.
What is the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event?
It is a shooting discipline in which athletes fire from three positions — prone, standing, and kneeling — over a distance of 50 metres, testing both technical skill and mental composure.
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say about India's Asian Games 2026 shooting silver?
Minister Puri praised the athletes for a 'composed and determined performance' on the big stage and congratulated Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod Kochalumkal, and Ashi Chouksey individually.
How has India performed in shooting at the Asian Games historically?
India has consistently secured medals in rifle and pistol events at successive Asian Games editions, with each cycle adding new names to the country's shooting medal tally.
When did India win the shooting silver at Asian Games 2026?
The silver medal in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event was confirmed on or before 26 September 2026, when Minister Hardeep Singh Puri posted his congratulations.
