Aichi-Nagoya [Japan], September 21 (ANI): India’s wait for gold continued on the second day of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, but the country added four more medals to its tally on Monday, with shooting once again at the forefront of the medal haul.
Himanshu Dhillon won silver and Rudrankksh Patil secured bronze in the men’s 10m air rifle individual event. The two then joined 18-year-old Parth Mane to claim silver in the team event, as India finished with 1898.4 points.
China’s Sheng Lihao, Changhong Zhang and Sihan Ma edged ahead with 1899.0 points to win gold and set a new world record, bettering the previous mark of 1898.4 set in Cairo last year.
Dhillon described his double silver medal feat at the Asian Games 2026 as a moment of immense pride, saying that winning medals for the country naturally brings an emotional feeling.
"When you achieve something for the country, you naturally feel emotional. It is a moment of immense pride for me. In fact, this is my first individual medal at the senior international level, so holding two medals feels truly wonderful," Himanshu told ANI after his medal-winning performances.
Himanshu Dhillon’s coach, Kuldeep Nehra, on his victory said, Dhillon tried shooting during a school visit and immediately took a liking to the sport.
Despite his parents’ initial concerns about shooting being expensive and their preference for traditional Haryana sports such as wrestling and kabaddi, Dhillon remained determined. Nehra said the family initially doubted the choice after seeing few results in the early years, but Dhillon’s performances gradually began to improve.
"I met Himanshu in 2019 during his school's visit. The children had come over, and he tried firing a shot and really liked it. In Haryana, parents usually prefer sports like wrestling or kabaddi, sports that are less expensive and align with our local diet and lifestyle. Naturally, the expectation is for children to play wrestling or kabaddi, as Haryana excels in those areas. So, he went there for a few days, but after visiting my academy and trying his hand at shooting, he preferred it over other sports... Initially, his parents brushed it off, thinking it was an expensive sport... But he was adamant... I explained to his parents that it is a bit costly, the rifle and gear involve an initial investment, but that’s a one-time expense. Once purchased, that weapon lasts a lifetime... Initially, they also felt they might have chosen the wrong sport, as there were no results for the first few years. But then, gradually, things changed," Nehra told ANI.
Speaking after his victory, Rudrankksh Patil, who secured bronze, said he was proud to win two medals for India, though he had hoped for gold. He stressed the importance of shooting in building momentum for the Indian contingent and dedicated the medals to the country.
"I feel very happy and proud to have brought home two medals for the country. Of course, it could have been better—we were hoping for gold—but something is better than nothing. We managed to secure bronze and silver; seeing both our flags on the podium makes me very happy. Shooting is often what gets the medal tally moving; I believe it was our team's goal last time as well. It is our responsibility to build momentum for the entire contingent. The more medals we win, the stronger and more confident the whole contingent feels. I would like to dedicate this to the country. Medals are always for the country," he told ANI.
Rudrankksh Patil’s father, DCP Balasaheb Patil, praised his son’s seven years of relentless hard work and determination, saying he has always sought to build his own identity without relying on his family’s status.
He said Rudrankksh is steadily working toward his ultimate goal of winning an Olympic medal for India.
"He has been working hard, relentlessly, for the past seven years. The excellent medals the country is winning are the result of that very hard work, and I am confident he will continue to perform exceptionally well. He is absolutely clear in his mind, whether he is an officer's son or a farmer's son, that he wants to make a name for himself. Whenever he travels by rickshaw, taxi, or train for his practice sessions, he never mentions his parents' names or positions. He wants to build his own reputation on his own merit. In fact, the situation now is such that we are recognised because of him. He is moving steadily toward his goal. His objective is to win an Olympic medal for India, and he is taking steps forward toward that target every day," Balasaheb Patil told ANI.
Parth Rakesh Mane described his silver medal-winning performance in the men's 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games 2026 as a special achievement and a valuable learning experience.
Parth, who won the medal alongside Patil and Dhillon, said the podium finish was significant as it was his first Asian Games medal and his maiden medal at a senior international event.
"This is definitely an important medal for me, and a valuable learning experience. It's very special to me because it's my first Asian Games medal and my first medal at a senior international event. So, it's definitely something very special for me," Parth told ANI after winning the silver medal.
India now have six medals, four silver and two bronze, after two days of competition, but is still waiting for its first gold. (ANI)
Asian Games 2026: India seal 4 medals on Day 2 as shooting leads with 3
