India will field a 30-member shooting contingent at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, with athletes set to compete across Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun events. The Indian shooting squad features a mix of Olympic medallists, Asian Games medallists, world-level performers and emerging shooters. The shooting events are scheduled from September 20 to October 1, with Indian athletes competing in individual, team and Mixed Team events.
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil lead rifle squad
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, ranked World No. 7, will compete in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event. The Indian shooter won a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 and is also a former World Cup gold medallist and Asian champion.
Niraj Kumar will join Aishwary in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, while Ashi Chouksey, Tilottama Sen and Vidarsa K. Vinod will represent India in the women’s event. Rudrankksh B. Patil, the 2022 World Champion, will compete in both 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions.
The 10m Air Rifle events will also feature Elavenil Valarivan, Parth Rajesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa K. Vinod. Elavenil is a former World Cup gold medallist and Asian champion, while Parth is a former Junior World Champion.
Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh headline Pistol contingent
Paris 2024 double Olympic bronze medallist Manu Bhaker will compete in the women’s 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol events. She is currently ranked World No. 12 in 10m Air Pistol. Esha Singh will also compete in the 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol events. The 2023 World Champion and Asian champion is among India’s key competitors in the pistol events.
Suruchi, Kamaljeet, Kedarling B. Uchaganve and Aakash Bhardwaj will also feature in the 10m Air Pistol events, with Suruchi additionally competing in the Mixed Team event. In women’s 25m Pistol, Manu and Esha will be joined by Rahi. Anish will compete in the men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event. Anish, ranked World No. 8, is scheduled to compete in Rapid Fire Pistol on September 30 and October 1, with the final set for October 1.
Kynan Chenai, Neeru Lead Shotgun challenge
The Shotgun contingent includes experienced Olympians, Asian Games medallists and shooters who have produced strong results on the international circuit. Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi and Shapath Bharadwaj will compete in men’s Trap, while Aashima Ahlawat, Manisha Keer and Neeru will represent India in women’s Trap.
Chenai won gold in the men’s Trap team event and bronze in individual Trap at the 2023 Asian Games. He will compete in men’s Trap and the Trap Mixed Team event. Neeru, ranked World No. 13, enters the Asian Games after winning women’s Trap gold at the 2025 Asian Championships and a World Cup gold in Lonato, Italy, in 2026. Her Lonato victory made her the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in a Trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup.
Anantjeet Singh Naruka will compete in Skeet and Mixed Team events. He won silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games and is a former Asian champion.
Bhagntegh Singh Gill and Mairaj Ahmad Khan will also feature in men’s Skeet, while Maheshwari Chauhan, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Raiza Dhillon will compete in women’s Skeet. Mairaj is an Olympian with significant international experience, while Raiza is a former Junior World Champion and Asian champion.
Asian Games 2026: India’s Shooting Events
India’s shooting campaign at the Nagoya Asian Games will cover Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun disciplines. The Rifle programme includes 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions. The Pistol events feature 10m Air Pistol, 25m Pistol and 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, while the Shotgun programme includes Trap and Skeet.
Mixed Team events will also form part of India’s shooting campaign.
NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said the squad represents a combination of experience, international exposure and young talent. “India’s shooting contingent for the Asian Games represents a strong combination of experience, international exposure and young talent. Our athletes have worked hard through the season and are entering the Games with valuable experience from World Cups, World Championships and Asian-level competitions,” he said.
NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh also highlighted the depth of the squad across the three shooting disciplines, with experienced international competitors and emerging shooters featuring in the contingent.
