Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Anantjeet Singh Naruka Clinch India's 15th Asian Games Medal

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-09-24 16:52:00

In a landmark achievement for Indian shotgun shooting on the continental stage, the dynamic duo of Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Anantjeet Singh Naruka scripted sporting history by securing a hard-fought bronze medal in the mixed team skeet event at the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday. The podium finish marks India’s first-ever medal in the mixed team skeet discipline in Asian Games history, taking the nation’s overall medal tally to 15 at the current edition. Overcoming a challenging qualification phase where lower preliminary scores pushed them into the bronze medal shootout, the Indian pair displayed tremendous composure, nerve, and precision in a high-stakes final shoot to claim the third step of the podium, while China broke the world record to seize the gold medal and South Korea took home the silver.

Parinaaz Dhaliwal: From Patiala’s Moti Bagh Gun Club to Asian Games Glory

Hailing from Patiala, Punjab, 24-year-old Parinaaz Dhaliwal (born November 30, 2001) has steadily risen through the ranks to establish herself as one of the country's premier international skeet shooters. Having embarked on her competitive shooting journey in 2015 at the renowned New Moti Bagh Gun Club, Dhaliwal initially trained in trap before switching to skeet for its dynamic technical demands and high-speed reflexes. Transitioning seamlessly from junior circuits, she won her maiden ISSF medal with a bronze at the 2022 Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, alongside a silver at the 2021 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi. After narrowly missing out on a podium spot with a fourth-place team finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games, her consistent global rankings and international pedigree culminated in Thursday’s historic mixed-team triumph.

Anantjeet Singh Naruka: Jaipur’s Olympian Marksman Adds Another Continental Feat

Partnering Dhaliwal, 28-year-old Olympian Anantjeet Singh Naruka (born July 1, 1998) from Jaipur, Rajasthan, reaffirmed his status as the linchpin of India's men’s shotgun contingent. Mentored from the age of 14 by his father, national skeet shooter Dalpat Singh Naruka, Anantjeet made his international debut at the 2014 Asian Shotgun Championships in Al Ain. His decorated career already features individual silver and team bronze medals from the Hangzhou Asian Games, an appearance representing India at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and an individual gold at the 2025 Asian Shotgun Championships in Shymkent. Displaying steely focus in the medal playoff, Naruka’s clinical target-breaking guided the tandem to a memorable podium finish that cements India's growing dominance in international shotgun events.

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