Neeru Dhanda scripted history at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal in the Trap shooting event. The 26-year-old shooter from Haryana’s Jind district produced a stunning performance in the final, hitting 28 of 30 targets to set a new Asian Games record.
Dhanda’s achievement becomes even more remarkable when seen against the unlikely beginning of her shooting journey. She once recalled being frightened by the sound and recoil of a shotgun when she first tried one as a youngster. Years later, that same sport took her to the biggest title of her career.
Dhanda, who hails from Sangatpura village in Jind, was initially associated with kabaddi. Her interest in shooting grew after watching her cousin Lakshay Sheoran win a silver medal in men’s Trap at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. She began practising with his family’s gun and initially shot at tin cans while learning to handle the weapon and its recoil.
Her journey took a major turn in 2019 when she moved to the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal. Training, competition and years of hard work gradually transformed her from a newcomer into one of India’s leading Trap shooters.
At the Asian Games in Nagoya, Dhanda first helped India secure a silver medal in the women’s Trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. She then delivered the biggest performance of her career in the individual final.
Dhanda finished the final with 28 hits out of 30, breaking the previous Asian Games record of 24. Her gold also ended India’s long wait for an individual Trap gold at the Asian Games, following Randhir Singh’s men’s Trap triumph in 1978.
The achievement capped a remarkable year for Dhanda. Earlier in 2026, she had become the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in women’s Trap at the ISSF World Cup, winning the event in Lonato, Italy.
From being startled by her first experience with a shotgun to setting an Asian Games record, Neeru Dhanda’s rise has been one of the standout stories of India’s shooting campaign at the 2026 Asian Games.
