India's shooting campaign at Asian Games 2026: 5 medals in 2 days, more on the way
Synopsis
India's shooters have raced to five medals in the first two days at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with silver from Elavenil Valarivan, silver and bronze from Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil, and two team silvers. NRAI chief Kalikesh Deo calls it 'just the start' — and with most events still ahead, India's shooting tally could climb well beyond what early headlines suggest.
Key Takeaways
India won 5 shooting medals in the first two days of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games .
Elavenil Valarivan took silver in women's 10m air rifle on 20 September ; the women's team also won silver.
Himanshu Dhillon (silver) and Rudrankksh Patil (bronze) medalled in men's 10m air rifle on 21 September ; the men's team added another silver.
NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo described the haul as 'just the start', citing mental resilience and a science-backed high-performance programme.
Deo confirmed India has podium potential 'in every discipline' still to be contested at the Games.
National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Singh Deo has declared India's shooting campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is 'just the start', after the country's shooters amassed five medals in the first two days of competition on 20 and 21 September. With multiple disciplines still to come, Deo is confident the tally will grow significantly.
How India's medal charge unfolded
The opening salvo came on 20 September, when Elavenil Valarivan claimed silver in the women's 10m air rifle individual event. The women's team also took silver in the same discipline on the same day, taking the day's haul to two medals.
Day two, 21 September, kept the momentum alive in the men's 10m air rifle: Himanshu Dhillon won silver and Rudrankksh Patil claimed bronze, while the men's team added a second team silver. That brought India's shooting medal count to five in 48 hours.
What NRAI chief Kalikesh Deo said
'We had Ela (Elavenil Valarivan) with the silver yesterday in the women's 10m and the team silver. Today, Rudrankksh got the bronze, Himanshu got the silver and the team silver again. So five medals from Indian shooting in two days with many more to come. I think this is just the start,' Deo said.
He also underlined the mental fortitude of the squad, which has had to manage the logistical pressures of a sprawling multi-sport Games — travel, scheduling, and the distractions that accompany a large international event. 'Our shooters are a tough bunch. They're young and they're driven and they're able to overcome any obstacle with their mental resilience,' he added.
Science, government support behind the surge
Deo pointed to a structured high-performance programme as a key driver of the results. Indian shooters have been put through simulated finals and high-pressure scenarios, with science and technology used to generate performance feedback across mental, physical, and technical parameters.
'We are able to give them through science and technology and the high-performance team a lot of feedback to be able to improve themselves both mentally and physically and technically. And the government's been a great support to us,' Deo explained. He credited this support structure with pushing India into the front rank of shooting nations globally, not just in Asia.
India's broader shooting outlook at Aichi-Nagoya
Deo declined to put a specific medal target on the remaining campaign but said podium potential exists across every discipline on the schedule. 'Pretty much in every discipline we have a potential of getting medals for India. And it's just been two days and five medals. I think many more to come,' he said.
Notably, this performance builds on a sustained rise in Indian shooting — the country has been among the top medal-winners at recent ISSF World Cups and produced a strong haul at the previous Asian Games, establishing a pattern of consistency at the continental level.
With the bulk of shooting events still ahead at Aichi-Nagoya, India's final tally could comfortably surpass its current five-medal mark before the Games conclude.
Point of View
But what matters more is how India is winning them — consistently across individual and team events in the same discipline, suggesting depth rather than reliance on a single champion. The NRAI's investment in simulated finals and pressure conditioning mirrors what rival shooting nations have done for years; India appears to have closed that structural gap. The real test will come in events outside air rifle, where India's record is spottier. If Deo's 'every discipline' confidence holds up, Aichi-Nagoya could become India's best-ever Asian Games shooting campaign — a benchmark worth tracking.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many medals has India won in shooting at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games so far?
India has won five shooting medals in the first two days of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The haul includes individual silvers from Elavenil Valarivan and Himanshu Dhillon, a bronze from Rudrankksh Patil, and two team silvers in the women's and men's 10m air rifle events.
Who are the Indian shooters who have won medals at the Asian Games 2026?
Elavenil Valarivan won silver in women's 10m air rifle, Himanshu Dhillon won silver in men's 10m air rifle, and Rudrankksh Patil won bronze in men's 10m air rifle. The women's and men's air rifle teams each also claimed silver medals.
What did NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo say about India's shooting performance?
Deo called the five-medal opening a 'good start' and said it was 'just the start', with more medals expected across remaining disciplines. He credited the team's mental resilience, a science-backed high-performance programme, and government support for the results.
How is India preparing its shooters for high-pressure competition?
According to NRAI chief Kalikesh Deo, Indian shooters undergo simulated finals and high-pressure scenario training, with a high-performance team using science and technology to provide feedback on mental, physical, and technical aspects of preparation.
Can India win more shooting medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?
Yes, according to NRAI president Deo, India has podium potential 'in every discipline' still to be contested. With the majority of shooting events remaining on the schedule, the five-medal tally from the opening two days is expected to increase.
