Neeru Dhanda has scripted a historic chapter in Indian shooting at the Asian Games 2026. The 26-year-old from Jind, Haryana, became the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games gold medal in trap shooting, producing a record-breaking performance in Aichi-Nagoya.
Dhanda topped the qualification round with 118 hits out of 125, jointly finishing with Qatar’s Ray Bassil. The score was a Games qualification record and earned her a place in the eight-shooter final.
A borrowed gun, a pond in Bhopal, and a cousin's relentless encouragement, that was where Neeru Dhanda's journey began. Seven years later, the 26-year-old has broken new ground in Indian shooting.
She then produced an even more impressive performance in the medal round. Dhanda finished with 28 hits, surpassing the previous Asian Games record of 24. China’s Sun Yunong took silver with 26, while Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik won bronze with 21.
Who Is Neeru Dhanda?
Born on May 25, 2000, Dhanda specialises in women’s trap and trains at Dr. KSSR, New Delhi. She represented India at the 2022 ISSF World Championships in Osijek and has since established herself as one of the country’s leading shotgun shooters.
Her breakthrough on the continental stage came at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championships, where she won gold in women’s trap.
But it was 2026 that transformed Dhanda into an international name.
"Mansher sir only told me to forget what has happened and focus on the target, which I did," Neeru said after her victory.
World Cup Gold Before Asian Games Glory
In July 2026, Dhanda became the first Indian woman to win an individual ISSF World Cup gold medal in women’s trap when she triumphed at the Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy.
She shot 27 hits in the final after topping qualification with 121 out of 125. The achievement marked a major milestone for Indian women's trap shooting.
Dhanda also won a bronze medal in the trap mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup in Almaty, Kazakhstan, further strengthening her credentials ahead of the Asian Games.
A Historic Asian Games Gold
Dhanda's Asian Games triumph was significant beyond the medal itself. No Indian woman had previously won an individual medal in trap or skeet at the Asian Games.
India's previous individual Asian Games gold medals in trap came in the men's events, with Randhir Singh winning men's trap gold in 1978 and Ronjan Sodhi taking men's double-trap gold in 2010.
Dhanda has now become the first Indian woman to join that list.
Earlier on Tuesday, she had already helped India win silver in the women's trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. The trio scored 328, finishing behind China's 346.
With inputs from SAI.