From a borrowed gun to Asian Games gold: Neeru Dhanda's unconventional shooting journey

A borrowed gun, a pond in Bhopal and a cousin who refused to let her give up — the unlikely ingredients that set Neeru Dhanda on her shooting journey seven years ago have now taken her to the top of the Asian Games podium.

On Tuesday, the 26-year-old became the first Indian woman to win an individual shotgun gold at the continental showpiece, claiming the women's trap title with a Games record.

For a farmer's daughter from Jind, Haryana, the road to that historic triumph was far removed from the conventional path to elite sport.

Neeru had barely six months of shooting experience when she moved to Bhopal in 2019. There, the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy provided free guns and ammunition, giving her an opportunity to continue in a sport that her family's modest financial circumstances would otherwise have made difficult to pursue.

The initial spark had come from her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, a silver medallist at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

“I didn't know anything about shooting before that. My cousin Lakshay was a silver medallist in Jakarta. I was inspired by that medal,” Neeru said after her triumph.

She began practising with a gun belonging to Lakshay's father. At a talaiya, or pond, in Bhopal, she would place a tin at a distance and try to hit it, learning largely through trial and error.

“I would keep a target far away and try to shoot at it,” she recalled.

It was Lakshay's parents who eventually brought her to the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy. The academy's support — including guns, ammunition and training facilities — helped turn an uncertain beginning into an international career.

Neeru's father is a farmer and her mother a homemaker, leaving little scope for the family to shoulder the considerable expenses associated with shooting.

Seven years later, that early support has culminated in a gold medal that also ended India's long wait for an individual women's shotgun title at the Asian Games.

The achievement came despite a preparation that was far from ideal.

Just 10 days before the competition, Neeru was hospitalised after falling seriously ill. She missed an entire training camp and went five days without food, surviving on water. Her coach Mansher Singh became a constant source of reassurance during the difficult period.

“I was in a very bad condition. I didn't train during the whole camp. I didn't eat anything for five days. I just drank water. I used to talk to my coach daily,” she said.

“Even after coming here, I spoke to him every day. He told me it didn't matter even if I couldn't train for four or five days.”

Neeru arrived in Nagoya with her preparations disrupted, but she refused to treat the missed training as an excuse.

“Hurdles don't matter when you have full commitment in your heart. I have to win for my family, my country, the Indian Army and the MP State Shooting Academy. There are so many people behind me. When they are working so hard for me, winning is a small task,” she said.

The weather then presented another challenge.

Persistent rain and plunging temperatures in Nagoya affected her grip and changed the familiar sensation of handling the gun. Instead of allowing the conditions to unsettle her, Neeru relied on the mental routines built into her training.

“When we train in clear weather, we also face challenges. The rain falls on our hands. We feel the sensation and our process changes. So, I used to talk to myself during the competition. I kept telling myself, 'Neeru, it will come. Even if there is a storm, we should not look down. We should look up,'” she said.

Her training under Mansher had deliberately exposed her to distractions. During practice, her coach would tug at her jacket or even throw a chair in front of her as she prepared to shoot. Loud music and other disturbances were also part of the sessions.

“We create such situations in training, where we have to fight distractions. We train with loud music and other distractions,” Neeru said.

She had already signalled her form by winning a World Cup medal in Lonato, Italy, earlier this year. At the Asian Games, she topped qualification with a score of 95 before converting that form into the gold.

For Neeru, the significance of the medal extends beyond her own career. She hopes her breakthrough will give young Indian shotgun shooters the confidence to aim for the biggest stages.

“It was not easy, but I made it easy. Future juniors and players training for India in trap and shotgun will feel that if Neeru can do it, then we can do it,” she said.

The Army shooter also dedicated her medal to soldiers guarding India's borders.

“There are chances of promotion, but even if there is no promotion, we still have to play for the Army. Soldiers are posted at the borders. They fight for the country and give their lives. This medal is dedicated to them,” she said.

She also remembered former Asian Games champion Raja Ranjit Singh, who won the title in 1978 and died earlier this year.

Neeru recalled the warmth he showed towards shooters and dedicated her victory to his memory.

“He was very nice. He used to meet us and hug us so lovingly. This year, he is no more. I dedicate this medal to him. We have brought back that memory,” she said.

Even on the eve of a potentially career-defining final, Neeru kept things deliberately ordinary. She stuck to her routine, eating well, sleeping and avoiding unnecessary pressure.

Her comfort food in Nagoya was dal and roti, ordered from a Bangladeshi restaurant.

From a tin floating in the memory of a Bhopal pond to an Asian Games record and a historic gold, Neeru's journey has been built on modest beginnings, sustained support and a refusal to let setbacks dictate the destination.