New Delhi, June 11, 2026: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), on Thursday, announced their 30-member Indian shooting contingent for the upcoming 20th Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
The shooting disciplines will be contested from September 17 to October 3, 2026, at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Range.
While all selected athletes successfully cleared the stringent qualification slots laid down by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS), the final roster stands at 30 athletes (15 Men and 15 Women) due to strict dynamic quota caps enforced by the Games’ Organising Committee.
Following extensive deliberations and a detailed event-wise assessment, the Committee identified a select group of athletes capable of competing across multiple disciplines. This strategic approach enables India to maximise participation across all available events while maintaining the strongest possible medal prospects in both individual and team competitions. The approved double starters are Vidarsa K. Vinod, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil and Manu Bhaker along with Esha Singh.
The final squad reflects a careful balance of current form, international performance, team composition and medal potential. The Selection Committee, in consultation with the High Performance team, sought to optimise India’s competitiveness across all shooting disciplines and ensure the strongest possible challenge for podium finishes at the Games.
Speaking of the squad selected for the Asian Games. NRAI President Kalikesh Singh Deo said, “Selecting this team was a challenging task given the exceptional depth and quality of talent in Indian shooting today.
Given the 30-athlete cap for a programme that accommodates participation across 36 event slots, the Selection Committee undertook a detailed event-wise evaluation to ensure that the final squad provides India with the strongest possible representation and the best opportunity for competitive success across disciplines.
The final squad reflects the strength, depth and versatility of Indian shooting. We are confident that this team will represent India with distinction and make the nation proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”
The final contingent comprises 12 shotgun shooters and 18 rifle/pistol shooters. The complete squad breakdown is as follows:
Rifle & Pistol Squad
10M Air Rifle Men
Parth Rakesh Mane
Himanshu Dhillon
Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil
10M Air Rifle Women
Elavenil Valarivan
Sonam Uttam Maskar
Vidarsa K Vinod
50M Rifle 3 Positions Men
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar
Niraj Kumar
Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil
50M Rifle 3 Positions Women
Ashi Chouksey
Vidarsa K Vinod
Tilottama Sen
10M Air Pistol Men
Kedarling B. Uchaganve
Gaurav
Kamaljeet
10M Air Pistol Women
Suruchi
Esha Singh
Manu Bhaker
25M Rapid Fire Pistol Men
Anish
25M Sports Pistol Women
Esha Singh
Manu Bhaker
Rahi Sarnobat
10M Air Rifle Mixed Team
Parth Rakesh Mane
Elavenil Valarivan
10M Air Pistol Mixed Team
Kedarling B. Uchaganve
Suruchi
Shotgun Squad
Trap Men
Kynan Chenai
Ahvar Rizvi
Shapath Bharadwaj
Trap Women
Neeru
Manisha Keer
Aashima Ahlawat
Skeet Men
Anantjeet Singh Naruka
Bhavtegh Singh Gill
Mairaj Ahmad Khan
Skeet Women
Parinaaz Dhaliwal
Raiza Dhillon
Maheshwari Chauhan
India’s shooters have continued to deliver strong performances on the international circuit in recent months, underlining the country’s growing strength across rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines. More recently, Indian shooters secured multiple podium finishes at the recently concluded ISSF World Cup circuit.
This was highlighted by Esha Singh’s gold medal and world-record performance in the women’s 25m pistol event at the Munich World Cup. Suruchi Singh and Esha also combined for a memorable gold-silver finish in the women’s 10m air pistol event, reinforcing the depth and consistency of the Indian shooting programme ahead of the Asian Games.
About National Rifle Association of India
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is the apex governing body for the sport of shooting in India and is affiliated with the International Shooting Sport Federation, Asian Shooting Confederation, Commonwealth Shooting Federation, South Asian Shooting Confederation and the Indian Olympic Association. Led by President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and Secretary General Pawankumar Singh, the NRAI oversees the growth and development of shooting in India through a network of 53 affiliated State Associations and units. Indian shooters have consistently excelled on the international stage, winning medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, while the NRAI continues to strengthen grassroots participation and talent development across the country.
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