Nagoya, September 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
For Vidarsa K. Vinod, her Asian Games debut and India’s women’s 10m air rifle team silver were the result of years of hard work rather than luck, with the Keralam shooter saying her first Games medal fulfilled a long-cherished dream.
Vidarsa teamed up with Elavenil Valarivan and Sonam Maskar to win silver in the women’s 10m air rifle team event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, giving India its first medal of the Games.
The achievement also made Vidarsa the first female from Keralam to win a shooting medal at the Asian Games.
“The competition was really good. I cannot put the experience into words. This is amazing. Even before coming to the Asian Games, everybody was saying that this was luck that brought you. As a double starter, you can play as a double starter. But I can’t say that’s only luck, because behind this I have worked really hard for 8 years. So this is kind of my dream coming true,” Vidarsa told IANS after the team silver.
The 27-year-old has spent years competing on the international shooting circuit, including ISSF World Cups, World Championships and Asian Championships, while specialising in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event.
Her Asian Games debut brought some initial pressure, but Vidarsa said she eventually realised that the competition was similar to what she had experienced before.
“Can’t say there was no pressure at all. I was under some pressure at the beginning. Then I realised that all the competition is the same, similar: the timing, everything, and the shots. Everything is the same. So I don’t have to think about it. So I started focusing on my preparation and the way I shoot. So then it was good,” she said.
Her commitment to shooting has also affected her academic plans. Vidarsa completed her graduation but could not pursue the postgraduate studies she had planned because of her competition schedule.
“I have completed graduation, and now I am just fully focused on shooting,” she said.
“I had planned to pursue postgraduate studies, but I couldn’t complete them because of the competition. We have four World Cups, the Asian Championship, and the Asian Games. We also have domestic competitions, such as selection trials. Because of that, I wasn’t able to attend classes and therefore couldn’t complete my postgraduate studies. I just completed my graduation,” she added.
Vidarsa said her family, husband and coach have played an important role in supporting her career. Her husband is accompanying her in Japan, while her family remains in India and coach Manoj Kumar is with her in Nagoya.
“Yeah, my husband is here. He is here to support me. Everybody in my family is in India, but I have their blessings. My coach, Manoj Kumar Sir, is also here. So everybody is with me,” she said.
However, she recalled that the early phase of her shooting career was challenging because she did not have anyone to guide her on progressing in the sport.
“Yeah, it was actually tough because there was nobody to guide me at the beginning. So how to get into the team, how to get a good coach, or something. There was nobody to guide me at the beginning. Then I met my husband. From that moment to this, he has been the one making all the decisions,” Vidarsa said.
Now training in Delhi under Manoj Kumar, Vidarsa has become a regular member of India’s rifle squad. Earlier this year, she topped the 50m Rifle 3 Positions qualification at the 2026 Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in New Delhi with a score of 590-35x.
Her Asian Games campaign, however, is not over yet. Vidarsa will return to action on September 26 in her specialist event, the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions.
“Yeah, my next event is on the 26th. That’s the 3-position rifle event,” she said.
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