3 weeks ago
From Track Injury to Asian Games: Kamaljeet's Inspiring Shooting Journey
A young man from India named Kamaljeet loved sports, but he got hurt while running on a track.
That injury ended his dream of being a runner.
So he decided to try something new: pistol shooting.
He practiced very hard and got really good at it.
His family helped him pay for training even when money was tight.
A coach from his village taught him everything he knows.
Kamaljeet won a gold medal at a big junior world championship in 2023.
Now he is going to Japan to compete in the Asian Games, a huge sports event.
He will shoot in the Men's 10M Air Pistol event.
He hopes to shoot just as well in the big competition as he does in practice.
Kamaljeet, 22, will represent India in the Men's 10M Air Pistol event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
He took up pistol shooting in 2019 after an athletics injury, overcoming early financial struggles with family support.
Kamaljeet credits his village coach and uncle, along with backing from the Sports Authority of India and the National Rifle Association of India.
His achievements include a gold at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships and a silver at the Asian Championships in New Delhi.
Shooting events run September 17 to October 3 at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery.
- Who
- Kamaljeet, a 22-year-old pistol shooter from Rewari, India.
- What
- Will represent India in the Men's 10M Air Pistol event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- Where
- Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery.
- When
- Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, with shooting events scheduled from September 17 to October 3.
- Why
- He earned his place on merit through NRAI's transparent selection process after transitioning from athletics to shooting in 2019.
Key facts
- Athlete
- Kamaljeet, 22, from Rewari, Haryana, India
- Event
- Men's 10M Air Pistol, 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026
- Sport transition
- Pistol shooting since 2019, after an athletics injury
- Major achievements
- Gold at 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships; silver at Asian Championships, New Delhi
- Support organisations
- Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Rifle Association of India (NRAI)
- Shooting venue
- Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery
- Shooting dates
- September 17 to October 3
Quotes
Kamaljeet
Indian pistol shooter Kamaljeet, 22, representing India
“We are a middle‑class family, but my parents never let me quit shooting. I had to manage my own expenses for course fees and matches early on, and there were times I thought I wouldn’t continue in the event. It took me two to three years to earn that money back, but my family never asked questions; they gave me whatever I needed to keep going.”
rediff.com
“Earlier, I used to struggle a lot just to manage basic expenses, but having sponsorship and support from SAI took a huge weight off my shoulders. Once I could focus purely on my sport, the pathway became very clear because of how transparent NRAI’s selection process is.”
rediff.com
Sources
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