India has won its first medal at the Asian Games 2026 as the Women's team clinched Silver medal in the 10m Air Rifle on Sunday (September 20).
With a score
of 1898, the Indian team managed to get the 2nd spot on the podium, with China securing a world record of 1904.2 points to win Gold. Japan clinched Bronze with 1897.1 points.
Asian Games 2026: India Women Trio Star in 10m Air Rifle
Elavenil Valarivan, Vidarsa Kochalumkal Vinod and Sonam Uttam Maskar combined for a strong performance to finish second. The trio secured India's first medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games, giving the country an early boost in the shooting competition and marking a positive start to its medal campaign.
10m Air Rifle - Know the Shooters
Elavenil Valarivan
Elavenil Valarivan is one of India's most experienced 10m air rifle shooters. Born on August 2, 1999, in Tamil Nadu, she began shooting in 2014 and has represented India at two Olympic Games. A former junior world champion, Elavenil won gold at the 2019 ISSF World Cup Final and has multiple medals from World Cups and Asian championships. She was also honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2022.
Known for her consistency on the international circuit, she entered the 2026 Asian Games with considerable experience and helped India secure silver in the women's 10m air rifle team event. She was the last at the team event at the Asian Games and delivered superbly to leapfrog Japan, as India came back to grab Silver medal spot from 4th position.
Vidarsa K Vinod
Vidarsa K Vinod, from Kozhikode, Kerala, took up shooting through the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 2018. Her early journey involved training with borrowed equipment before her family took a loan to purchase her first rifle in 2021. She continued progressing despite financial difficulties and periods of uncertainty, eventually joining the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence.
Vidarsa won her first international medal at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship, which helped earn her selection for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. At the 2026 Games, she is competing in the 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions events.
Sonam Uttam Maskar
Sonam Uttam Maskar, born on September 18, 2002, is a prominent Indian 10m air rifle shooter from Kolhapur. She first tried shooting in 2018 while studying at Tolani College of Commerce in Mumbai and initially took it up as a hobby. She later trained seriously at the Kolhapur range and broke through internationally in 2024, winning silver in the 10m air rifle at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo and the World Cup Final in New Delhi. She has continued her progress with international podium finishes, including bronze in the 2026 Hangzhou World Cup mixed team event.
