India’s Double Podium Run in Shooting at the Asian Games: From Saurabh-Abhishek to Himanshu-Rudrankksh

India’s shooting programme has developed a notable habit at the Asian Games in recent editions: putting two Indian shooters on the same individual podium.

The pattern began with the men’s 10m air pistol at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, continued with a historic 1-2 finish in the women’s 10m air pistol at Hangzhou 2022, and appeared again at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in the men’s 10m air rifle.

Across these three editions, six Indian shooters have combined for multiple podium finishes, demonstrating the depth that has emerged within Indian shooting. The medal combinations have changed from gold-bronze to gold-silver and, most recently, silver-bronze, but the common thread has remained the same: two Indian shooters surviving the qualification process and then producing strong performances in the final.

2018: Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma Make the Breakthrough

The first of these three double-podium finishes came in the men’s 10m air pistol at Jakarta-Palembang 2018. 16-year-old Saurabh Chaudhary and 29-year-old Abhishek Verma represented India in the final. Chaudhary had topped qualification with 586, while Verma qualified sixth with 580. The final became a memorable contest. Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsuda initially controlled the competition, but Chaudhary gradually moved into contention. Matsuda's 8.9 on the 23rd shot opened the door, and Chaudhary responded with a 10.2 before producing a 10.4 on his final shot.

Chaudhary finished with 240.7 points, winning gold and establishing an Asian Games record. Verma, meanwhile, finished with 219.3 points to claim bronze. The result meant India occupied two places on the individual podium, with Chaudhary taking gold and Verma bronze. The performance also marked Chaudhary as the youngest Indian shooter to win an individual Asian Games gold medal at the time.

2022: Palak Gulia and Esha Singh Produce a Historic 1-2

Four years later, Indian shooting went one step further. At the Hangzhou Asian Games, held in 2023 after the original 2022 edition was postponed, Palak Gulia and Esha Singh occupied the top two positions in the women’s 10m air pistol.

Both shooters had entered the final after finishing outside the top three in qualification. Esha qualified fifth with 579, while Palak qualified seventh with 577. Yet the final produced a dramatic turnaround. Esha initially established herself at the top of the standings, leading after the opening 10 shots. Palak then produced a series of high scores to move into first place and maintain her advantage through the decisive stages.

Palak eventually finished with 242.1 points, setting an Asian Games record and winning gold. Esha followed with 239.7 to take silver, giving India its first individual 1-2 finish at an Asian Games shooting event in the source record.

Pakistan’s Kishmala Talat completed the podium with bronze.

The achievement was particularly significant because it showed that India's depth was not limited to the men's events. Two young Indian markswomen were able to negotiate a high-pressure final and finish above the rest of the field.

2026: Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil Continue the Tradition

At Aichi-Nagoya 2026, the double podium returned in a different discipline. This time, it was the men’s 10m air rifle, with Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil finishing second and third respectively.

Rudrankksh entered the final as the higher-ranked Indian after shooting 631.8 in qualification, good enough for third position. Himanshu qualified seventh with 630.0, while Parth Mane finished 11th with 628.3. The final saw Rudrankksh make an aggressive start, while Himanshu remained firmly in medal contention. As the elimination phase progressed, Himanshu moved into second place.

India was assured of a double podium when Mongolia's Bayaraa Nyantai was eliminated in fourth. The fight for silver eventually went in Himanshu's favour. Rudrankksh finished with 230.9 points for bronze, while Himanshu reached 252.4 to secure silver. China's Sheng Lihao won gold with 254.2 and set a Games and Asian record.

The three results tell a broader story about India's shooting strength. In 2018, Saurabh Chaudhary won gold and Abhishek Verma bronze. In 2022, Palak Gulia and Esha Singh completed a gold-silver sweep. In 2026, Himanshu Dhillon won silver and Rudrankksh Patil bronze.

The medal colours have changed, but the recurring presence of two Indian shooters on the podium highlights the country's ability to develop multiple contenders within the same event.

The 2026 result is also notable for the contrasting experience levels of the two medallists. Rudrankksh was already an established international shooter and former world champion, while Himanshu was making his senior international individual debut at the Asian Games.

From Jakarta-Palembang to Hangzhou and now Aichi-Nagoya, India's shooting contingent has repeatedly shown that its strength can extend beyond a single medal contender. The double podiums involving Saurabh-Abhishek, Palak-Esha and Himanshu-Rudrankksh represent three chapters in that continuing story.