Rijiju hails India's silver in Men's 50m Rifle 3P Team at Asian Games
Synopsis
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil and debutant Niraj Kumar won silver for India in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the 2026 Asian Games. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated the trio, spotlighting Niraj Kumar's standout debut performance.
Key Takeaways
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar , Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil and Niraj Kumar won silver in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the 2026 Asian Games .
Niraj Kumar was making his Asian Games debut, making the silver a landmark first international appearance.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju publicly congratulated all three athletes on 25 September 2026 .
Shooting remains one of India's stronger disciplines at the Asian Games, feeding into Olympic qualification pipelines.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) , launched in 2014 , provides financial and training backing to elite shooters like the three medallists.
Three Indian marksmen steadied their aim and delivered — Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, and debutant Niraj Kumar claimed a silver medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the 2026 Asian Games on Friday, September 25, drawing congratulations from Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Rijiju took to X to celebrate the trio, writing: 'Congratulations to Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil and Asian Games debutant Niraj Kumar on their Silver Medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the #AsianGames2026. Well done, #TeamIndia and congratulations to Niraj on his medal-winning debut!'
Niraj Kumar's debut, and what a way to begin
The spotlight fell especially on Niraj Kumar, stepping onto the Asian Games stage for the first time and walking away with a medal. Debuts at continental multi-sport events rarely go that cleanly — the pressure of representing a billion-strong nation in a discipline that punishes the faintest tremor is considerable. Kumar absorbed it and contributed to a podium finish. Rijiju's post singled out the debutant twice, underscoring how rare and noteworthy that achievement is.
Tomar and Patil: a proven spine in the lineup
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar has been a consistent presence in Indian rifle shooting at the international level, bringing ISSF World Cup experience to the team. Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil complements that pedigree with his own specialisation in the 50-metre rifle format. Together, the two veterans provided the team's backbone, anchoring a lineup that absorbed a debutant and still reached the podium.
Shooting's place in India's Asian Games arithmetic
Shooting has long been one of India's more reliable medal-producing disciplines at the Asian Games level. The sport also feeds directly into Olympic qualification pathways — every podium finish raises profiles, attracts selection committee attention, and strengthens the case for funding under programmes such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014 to give elite athletes structured financial and training support. A silver in a team rifle event keeps that pipeline flowing.
With events in other shooting disciplines and across multiple sports still to come, India's medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games — and the qualification arithmetic toward Los Angeles 2028 — will be shaped by performances exactly like this one. Three shooters raised their rifles, held their breath, and delivered.
Point of View
Team medals in technical rifle events carry particular weight because they validate depth in the national squad, not just individual brilliance. With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, results like this will influence both TOPS funding decisions and the broader argument for investing in Olympic shooting infrastructure.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won silver in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team at Asian Games 2026?
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar , Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil and Niraj Kumar won the silver medal for India in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team event at the 2026 Asian Games.
Is Niraj Kumar an experienced Asian Games shooter?
No. Niraj Kumar was making his Asian Games debut in this event, making the silver medal a standout first outing at the continental multi-sport games.
What is the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event?
The Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) is a shooting discipline where athletes fire from three stances — kneeling, prone and standing — at a target 50 metres away, testing accuracy and consistency across all positions.
What is the Target Olympic Podium Scheme and how does it help shooters?
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) , launched in 2014 , provides elite Indian athletes — including shooters — with financial support, foreign training exposure and access to high-performance coaching to improve their chances at the Olympics.
Why did Kiren Rijiju congratulate the shooters?
As Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister and a senior government figure, Kiren Rijiju congratulated the trio on their silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games , aligning with the government's broader emphasis on celebrating and publicising Indian sporting achievements.
