Aishwary Tomar wins Asian Games silver, reveals he has no job
Synopsis
An Asian Games silver medalist standing without a job — Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar's candid appeal to the Madhya Pradesh government after winning the 50m rifle 3P team silver in Nagoya puts a sharp lens on a gap India's sports system has yet to fully close: world-class performance, uncertain livelihood.
Key Takeaways
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won a team silver medal in the 50m rifle 3P event at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 25 September .
India's team of Aishwary , Niraj Kumar , and Rudrankksh Patil finished second behind China .
Aishwary and Niraj competed in the individual final, finishing fifth and eighth respectively.
Aishwary revealed he is currently unemployed and appealed to the Madhya Pradesh government to act on athlete employment.
He praised government schemes including TOPS and Khelo India for supporting athletes' international journeys.
Indian rifle shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar claimed a silver medal in the 50m rifle 3 Positions (3P) team event at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 25 September, but the celebration was tempered by a candid admission — the medalist currently has no job and is waiting on the Madhya Pradesh government to act on employment for athletes.
Team Performance and Individual Result
Aishwary, Niraj Kumar, and Rudrankksh Patil combined for a commendable team silver, finishing behind China in the event. Both Aishwary and Niraj advanced to the individual final, where they placed fifth and eighth respectively, narrowly missing individual podium finishes.
What Aishwary Said
'It feels really good that we won the team silver medal. My effort was to win an individual medal as well, but unfortunately, that didn't happen, so I'm a bit disappointed about that. In the coming time, I will work even harder and win more medals for India,' Aishwary said after the event.
Dedicating his medal to his family, friends, and all Indians, the shooter made a strikingly candid appeal: 'I don't have a job, but I hope the MP government will do something about employment now, as they have been talking about it for quite some time.'
On Government Sports Initiatives
Despite his personal employment concern, Aishwary was generous in his praise for state and central government sports development efforts. 'A lot of work has been done on sports infrastructure by the government. Schemes like the TOPS scheme and Khelo India help athletes in their journey to reach the international/Olympic level. The government is doing great in terms of sports development in India,' he said.
The Bigger Picture for Athletes
Aishwary's remarks highlight a recurring tension in Indian sport: while infrastructure and funding schemes have improved significantly under programmes like Khelo India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), the pathway to stable government employment for competitive athletes — long considered a financial safety net — remains inconsistent, particularly at the state level. His case is unlikely to be unique; several national-level shooters and athletes from smaller states have faced similar gaps between sporting achievement and livelihood security. The spotlight his Asian Games silver brings may add pressure on Madhya Pradesh to expedite a resolution.
Point of View
Khelo India, SAI centres — yet the basic question of stable employment for competitive athletes, especially at the state government level, remains unresolved. Madhya Pradesh is not an outlier here; the absence of a uniform, rights-based employment guarantee for national-level athletes is a policy gap that medal counts alone cannot paper over. The irony is sharp: a government-backed scheme helped him reach an Asian Games podium, while the same government has not secured him a desk. That contradiction deserves more attention than the silver medal itself.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar win at the Asian Games?
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won a team silver medal in the 50m rifle 3 Positions (3P) event at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 25 September. He was part of an Indian trio alongside Niraj Kumar and Rudrankksh Patil that finished second behind China.
Why did Aishwary Tomar appeal to the Madhya Pradesh government?
After the event, Aishwary revealed he currently has no job and expressed hope that the Madhya Pradesh government would take action on employment for athletes. He noted the government had been discussing the matter 'for quite some time.'
How did Aishwary Tomar perform in the individual final?
Aishwary finished fifth in the individual 50m rifle 3P final, missing out on an individual medal. His teammate Niraj Kumar placed eighth in the same event.
What government schemes did Aishwary praise?
Aishwary praised the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Khelo India, saying they help athletes progress to international and Olympic-level competition and that the government is performing well in terms of sports development.
Why does athlete employment matter for Indian sports?
Government jobs have traditionally served as financial safety nets for Indian athletes, allowing them to train without economic pressure. Gaps in state-level employment provisions — as highlighted by Aishwary's case — can undermine long-term athletic development despite improved central government funding.
