How Aashima Ahlawat struck a deal with mother: 98.6% in boards to Asian Games
At 18, Aashima Ahlawat picked up a pistol before finding her calling in shotgun, but the switch came with a condition. Her mother wanted proof that shooting would not come at the cost of academics. Ahlawat delivered, scoring 98.6 per cent in her Class 12 board examinations and earning the freedom to pursue the sport seriously.
Four years later, the 22-year-old from Rohtak, Haryana, is part of India’s shooting contingent for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) named her in the women’s trap team alongside Neeru Dhanda and Manisha Keer.
Her journey to the shooting range, however, was far from straightforward. Coming from a business family rooted in construction, it was watching Indian shooters compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games that sparked her interest.
"Seeing Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu on that stage, I remember thinking, I want to feel that someday," Ahlawat said, reflecting on the moment that set her on the road to shooting.
That road also demanded a major sacrifice from her family.
"My mother didn't just give me permission, she gave up a lot for it," she said. "She moved from Rohtak to Delhi, shifted our family business, just so I could train properly. That's not something I take lightly."
The support came after Ahlawat fulfilled her side of the bargain in the classroom. Her 98.6 per cent in Class 12 gave her mother the reassurance that pursuing a sporting career would not mean compromising on academics.
Even then, the transition into competitive shooting was not immediate. It took nearly eight months for her first shotgun and ammunition to be sorted, making patience an early part of her journey.
"A medal is not the only thing that tells you how far you've come," she said.FROM JUNIOR SETBACK TO ASIAN MEDAL
Ahlawat’s development has included difficult lessons as well as significant breakthroughs. At the 2024 ISSF Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru, she finished fourth in the women’s junior trap event after qualifying with 113 and scoring 25 in the medal match.
"If something doesn't go right, I look for the mistake, fix it, and come back stronger."
She followed that approach with a strong 2025, winning individual bronze in women’s trap at the Asian Shooting Championships in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. She shot 29 in the final, while India also won team gold in the event with Ahlawat, Neeru Dhanda and Preeti Rajak.
Her progress has also been reflected in her international results. The ISSF lists her at No. 48 in the world in women’s trap, while her 2026 record includes a 14th-place finish at the World Cup in Tangier.AIMING FOR THE OLYMPICS Aashima has set her sights on the Olympics.
Ahlawat credits the NRAI’s support for helping accelerate that progress.
"NRAI has made things so much easier for shooters like me, the camps, the competitions, even something as basic as steady access to ammunition," she said. "People outside the sport don't realise it, but it changes everything." She added, "The exposure I have got through NRAI camps these last two years, I don't think I would have grown this fast without it."
With Aichi-Nagoya set to mark her first Asian Games appearance, Ahlawat is already looking beyond the event. The bigger target is an Olympic berth, with the next phase of her career centred on earning the chance to compete at the biggest stage in shooting.
"The next big goal for me is to make the team again, earn an Olympic quota, and give my best at the Olympics. That's the dream I'm chasing now."
The mental side of shooting, meanwhile, has required its own solutions. For an admitted overthinker, Ahlawat has developed a simple routine.
"I focus on my breathing, and honestly, I just play a random song on loop in my head at the station," she said. "It's my way of feeling calm and safe in a moment which is otherwise so lonely."
For now, her approach to Aichi-Nagoya remains deliberately simple.
"My plan is target by target. I don't want to think about the medal the whole time, I just want to stay present and enjoy the process," she said.
That target-by-target mindset will be important as Ahlawat steps onto the Asian Games stage for the first time. Aichi-Nagoya offers her another opportunity to turn years of sacrifice, preparation and persistence into the next step towards her Olympic dream.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Sep 16, 2026 16:10 IST
