#WATCH# | Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 | Nagoya, Japan: On winning two Silver medals in the Men’s Air Rifle event, Indian shooter Himanshu Dhillon says, "Doing something for the country brings a special feeling; it is a moment of great pride for me. This is my first senior-level individual medal, so I feel wonderful about securing these two medals. My father always says, "Never let success go to your head, and never take defeat to heart"—that is the philosophy I follow. I have won medals, but I know there are still more events and matches to play, so I will remain fully dedicated and focused on them. I won't let myself get distracted from my game or my events..."

#WATCH# | Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 | Nagoya, Japan: On winning a Silver medal in the Men’s Air Rifle event, Indian shooter Rakesh Mane says, "It is definitely an important medal and an important experience for me. It’s a special medal because it’s my first Asian Games medal and my first medal at a senior-level event... There were certainly some difficulties upon arrival, but I think that was normal; organizing and hosting such massive games is no easy task for any nation, so a few hiccups are to be expected. We managed and recovered from that really well. It was shooting that brought in the first medals last year, and it’s shooting bringing in the first medals this time too. So, it definitely feels special to me. I would like to dedicate this to my coach and my parents..."

#WATCH# | Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 | Nagoya, Japan: On winning two medals in the Men’s Air Rifle event, Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil says, "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..."

As the Asian Games commence in Aichi-Nagoya, my best wishes to the Indian contingent. Each athlete has worked incredibly hard and shown remarkable dedication and determination. India is proud of them. May they give their best, play well and shine!