Asian Games 2026: India Win Three Medals in Men's 10m Air Rifle

Indian shooters had a big day at the Asian Games 2026 on 21 September, winning three medals in the men's 10m air rifle: a team silver and two individual medals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the shooters in three separate messages.

The medals

Two of the three team members, Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil, went on to finish on the podium in the individual final as well, so India came away with a medal from every part of the event.

How the event works

The 10m air rifle is shot from a standing position at a target ten metres away. In the team competition, the scores of the three shooters from a country are combined, so a single weak series can cost the whole team a medal. The individual medals are then decided in a separate final among the best qualifiers, where every shot is scored and shooters are eliminated one by one. Winning both a team and an individual medal on the same day needs steady nerves across two very different formats.

What the Prime Minister said

• On the team silver, he praised the trio's "great combined score" and said their focus, consistency and teamwork had made India proud.
• For Himanshu Dhillon, he singled out his calm under pressure and remarkable accuracy.
• For Rudrankksh Patil, he said his focus and discipline had been commendable throughout.

About the Asian Games 2026

The 2026 Asian Games are the 20th edition of Asia's biggest multi-sport event and are being hosted by Aichi and Nagoya in Japan. The previous edition was held in Hangzhou, China. Shooting has been one of India's most reliable medal sports at the Games, and the 10m air rifle, shot from a standing position at a target ten metres away, is one of its marquee events.