From Cycling 14km Daily to the Asian Games: Aakash Bhardwaj’s Remarkable Rise in 10m Air Pistol
Aakash Bhardwaj's journey to the Asian Games has been anything but conventional.
The 22-year-old shooter from Jaipur had never picked up a pistol until late 2021. Today, less than five years after first stepping into a shooting range, he is preparing to represent India in the Men's 10m Air Pistol event at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
His rise has been built on a combination of family sacrifice, long solitary training sessions, and an unusual daily routine that often involved cycling 14 kilometers just to reach the shooting range. For Aakash, the Asian Games selection is not simply a sporting milestone. It is the result of years in which every rupee, every hour of training, and every opportunity had to be carefully used.
Growing up on Niwaru Road on the outskirts of Jaipur, Aakash came from a modest household. His father worked as a commercial driver, earning around ₹10,000 per month, while the family had limited resources to support an expensive Olympic sport such as shooting.
Before discovering the pistol range, Aakash was involved in athletics and rugby. He even won a national bronze medal in rugby. But concerns over contact injuries made him consider an individual sport where performance depended primarily on personal discipline and execution. That search led him to shooting. In late 2021, Aakash came across an advertisement for an academy. Curious about the sport, he decided to visit the range.
The result surprised everyone. Despite having no previous experience with a pistol, Aakash immediately showed a natural level of precision that caught the attention of coaches. What began as an experiment soon developed into a serious ambition.
But talent was only one part of the challenge. Shooting requires expensive equipment, regular access to training facilities, ammunition, and sustained investment. For a family where finances were already tight, entering the sport appeared difficult.
Aakash's family, however, decided to support his ambition.
“Coming from a background where every rupee counted, shooting felt out of reach at first,” Aakash said. “My father worked relentlessly as a driver to provide for us. When I showed genuine promise, he bought my first pistol on a credit card.” His elder brother Subham also played a crucial role, covering Aakash's monthly academy fees from his own earnings.
The sacrifices allowed the young shooter to continue training without constantly worrying about the financial pressure being carried by his family.
Cycling 14 kilometres to chase a dream
Getting to the range was another challenge. Aakash trained at the Marudhara Sports Shooting Academy on Kalwar Road, often traveling significant distances from home. Depending on the day and available options, he would walk, hitch rides from passers-by, or cycle 14 kilometers to reach the academy.
The journey itself became part of his sporting routine. He would also save ₹10 to ₹20 from his daily travel allowance to buy basic nutrition and training pellets. Small savings mattered because every aspect of pursuing shooting had a cost.
Without a personal coach during his formative years, Aakash was also forced to develop much of his training independently. That period became one of the defining phases of his career. “In the beginning, I had to figure out many things on my own,” he said. “I would spend six to seven hours every single day doing dumbbell conditioning and dry-fire drills.”
Dry-fire training became a crucial part of his development. He closely analyzed his technique, studying how small movements affected his shooting. “I used to analyse my errors closely, noting down how my shots shifted whenever my neck tilted,” he added.
The process was repetitive and often solitary, but it helped him understand the technical demands of pistol shooting. “That solitary grind taught me how to stay calm and trust my own hard work.”
Aakash's scores gradually improved on the domestic circuit, eventually earning him opportunities at national selection trials. For an athlete from a humble background, he believes the structure of the selection system was crucial. “When you come from a humble background, you need a system where only your performance matters,” Aakash said.
He credited the National Rifle Association of India for providing what he considers a transparent, performance-based pathway. “The best part of NRAI's selection process is its complete transparency. My selection for the Asian Games was earned strictly through the ranking points accumulated across the trials.”
The significance of that pathway is evident in his journey. Aakash did not come into shooting with years of expensive private training or a conventional junior development route. His rise came through improving scores, domestic performances, and eventually earning enough ranking points to secure a place in the Indian squad.
He also highlighted the institutional support he received as his career progressed. “The administrative team at NRAI has backed me at every turn. Whenever I needed logistical help, equipment clearance, or administrative support, the federation sorted it out immediately.”
For athletes, particularly those balancing limited resources, such support can make a significant difference. “That reassurance lets athletes like me focus entirely on hitting the target,” he said.
Aakash will now prepare for the biggest competition of his career. The 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya will bring together some of the strongest shooters in the world, with India expected to field another competitive squad across the pistol, rifle, and shotgun events.
For Aakash, however, the focus remains unchanged. His journey has already taught him to concentrate on preparation rather than circumstances. From cycling long distances to the range to training alone for six or seven hours a day, his progress has depended on maintaining discipline regardless of the obstacles around him.
“If my journey has taught me one lesson, it is that no hardship can hold you back if you remain dedicated,” he said. “When you believe in your preparation and stay disciplined, results will follow.” His story is still in its early stages. At 22, Aakash is preparing for his maiden Asian Games campaign after entering the sport only a few years ago.
But the path from Jaipur's outskirts to India's Asian Games squad has already been remarkable. From a father purchasing a pistol on a credit card, to an elder brother paying academy fees, to cycling 14 kilometers for training, every step has contributed to the opportunity now in front of him.
At the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, Aakash Bhardwaj will carry more than his pistol onto the range. He will carry the sacrifices of a family that believed in him before the results arrived—and the belief that discipline can take an athlete much further than circumstances might initially allow.
Now, his focus is simple: give his absolute best for India and see how far the journey can go.
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