NEERU DHANDA does not need to raise her voice to command the range. In a sport defined by millisecond reactions and nerves of steel, the 25-year-old shooter possesses a quiet intensity that has redefined Indian trap shooting. According to her mentor and coach of seven years, Mansher Singh, you don’t need to look at her stance or her technique to understand the caliber of her ambition; you simply need to look into her eyes.
On Tuesday, Dhanda etched her name into the history books at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, becoming the first Indian woman to secure an individual trap gold medal. This milestone triumph, which saw her post a staggering 28 in the final—shattering the previous Asian record of 24—serves as the crowning achievement of a year that has seen her vault to the pinnacle of the sport.
A Year of Unprecedented Dominance
The Asian Games gold arrives less than three months after Dhanda delivered a masterclass in Italy, where she became the first Indian woman to claim an individual World Cup gold in trap. By adding the Asian Games individual gold, as well as a gold in the mixed team event and a silver in the women’s team trap event, Dhanda has effectively transformed the landscape of Indian shooting.
For Mansher Singh, a veteran of four Olympic Games, witnessing this ascent has been both a professional milestone and a personal pride. “She has a lot of fire in her belly,” Mansher told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview. “If she reaches the final, she will go all guns blazing, and that’s exactly what she did. She is not aggressive in her demeanor, but if you want to see the true intensity of her competitive spirit, look into her eyes. She is hardworking, determined, and has achieved things that have not happened in the past.”
Rising Above Adversity
The road to the podium in Aichi-Nagoya was far from linear. In the lead-up to the Games, Dhanda faced a health scare that could have derailed her campaign entirely. A severe viral fever left her hospitalized at the PSRI Hospital in Chirag Delhi, unable to recover through standard medication.
Yet, even while confined to a hospital bed, her focus remained steadfastly on the mission. “Sir, I must bring the medal for the country,” she told her coach, a sentiment that left Mansher both deeply impressed and intensely concerned for her well-being. Upon her discharge, she flew to Japan with almost no time for adequate recovery or training. Mansher’s pre-event advice was grounded in perspective: “You should be happy that God has blessed you with the opportunity to compete after eight days in the hospital. Go out there, enjoy yourself, and celebrate.”
Dhanda took those words to heart, transforming her resilience into record-breaking performance.
Maturity and the Road to Los Angeles
The transition from a talented, albeit emotional, young shooter to a world-class champion has been a gradual process of maturity. Mansher recalls their early years as a volatile dynamic where Dhanda would frequently challenge his direction. “She used to fight with me a lot,” the coach laughed, noting that he often reminded her of their father-daughter-like bond to settle her nerves. “She was an emotional person, but she’s much more mature now. She’s able to take her own decisions and carefully weigh the consequences of her actions.”
With the World Cup and Asian Games trophies now firmly in her cabinet, the conversation has inevitably shifted toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. India’s history in Olympic shotgun events has been dormant since Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore captured a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games. Ending that two-decade drought is the ultimate goal, and for Dhanda and Mansher, it is the only goal that matters.
“We don’t have to worry about the pressure,” Mansher said, dismissing the idea that her recent accolades might lead to complacency. “She’s very centered. She knows the Olympic medal is the first thing. The Olympics are the first and last thing in this sport. She isn’t going to let a World Cup gold or an Asian Games title distract her from that ultimate ambition.”
For now, the pair has achieved something vital: validation. The back-to-back victories serve as undeniable proof that Dhanda has transitioned from a prospect to a primary contender. As the global shooting community turns its eyes toward the next Olympic cycle, the “fire” that Mansher Singh spotted years ago continues to burn, marking Neeru Dhanda as the one to watch on the biggest stage of all.
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