From Hospital Bed To Asian Games Glory: Neeru Dhanda's Incredible Journey
A determined Neeru Dhanda became the first Indian woman to claim an individual trap shooting gold at the Asian Games.
A determined Neeru Dhanda became the first Indian woman to claim an individual trap shooting gold at the Asian Games, battling relentless rain and plunging temperatures to smash the continental record against a formidable field after guiding the country to a team silver in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday. The 26-year-old from Haryana's Jind ended a 48-year wait for the nation's second men's or women's individual trap gold at the continental showpiece after combining with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer for the team silver in the same event earlier in the day.
While talking to NDTV in an exclusive interview, Neeru revealed that she was unaware she was on the verge of creating history at the Asian Games, saying that knowing about the milestone beforehand might have distracted her from her process.
Here are the excerpts from the interview:
Reporter: With me is the gold medallist from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in trap shooting. Many, many congratulations, Neeru. This moment is extremely special because, for the very first time, a female shooter has won a gold medal in trap shooting. Did anyone tell you that, for the first time, a female shooter has brought home a gold in trap shooting?
Neeru: Yes ma'am, I came to know only today after winning that it's a first. If I had known before, I might have lost focus somewhere along the way; it was good that I didn't know. That allowed me to fight even harder from within. But the mindset was clear. I had to win gold for my country, while staying true to my process.
Reporter: And it hasn't been very long since you joined shooting sports, just about two to two-and-a-half years...
Neeru: No ma'am, I started in 2019. It's been a while now. I started training regularly after Covid.
Reporter: Okay, so from then until now, you've moved up very quickly, not just standing on the Asian Games podium, but winning gold. Could you tell me a bit about the process you followed to achieve such a big medal so quickly?
Neeru: Well, ma'am, every athlete follows a process, but I had great support from my coach. My coach kept me motivated at every step, whether it was regarding family troubles, the sport, or anything outside. My personal coach from the grassroots level, right from the start, is Mansher Singh. And Coach Peter, he also keeps me very motivated to focus on technique and process. He is an Olympic champion, and I've been working with him for the past year. He is the Indian team's coach. I get to train with him in the camps, stay with the team, and complete the full workout routines.
Reporter: Neeru, you probably couldn't train for three weeks and were quite sick, in hospital before the Games. What was going through your mind at that time? Did you know this day was going to come?
Neeru: Well, nobody really knows what is going to happen on any given day. But I felt that if I kept myself in control, the day I had envisioned would come true. That was it. I just had to keep myself motivated. At that time, my coach Mansher Singh helped me a lot to stay motivated, saying, "You will definitely go, and you will come back with a win." I arrived two days after the rest of the team because of that.
Reporter: You didn't just win gold here, but also team silver. Do you feel that gold slipped out of reach there? Could gold have been won in the team event as well?
Neeru: No, see, we leave a bit of that to luck as well. We stick to our process; my teammates also played really well. They did what was in their hands, and I did what was in mine. It's a team effort. All three of us put in the work, which is why we reached this point. Next time, we will come back even better prepared.
Reporter: Neeru, I have a question about trap shooting: not many girls in India take up trap shooting; they prefer pistol or rifle. What key aspects would you highlight about trap shooting to attract more girls to it?
Neeru: Shooting overall is rising, whether it's rifle, pistol, or shotgun. Gradually, after Manu won her medal at the Olympics, people started knowing more about shooting. Rajyavardhan Singh sir and Abhinav Bindra sir also laid the foundation for people to recognise shooting. But trap shooting is rising gradually now. Good coaches are coming up, and athletes arrive with full preparation. So it is picking up step by step, and any athlete can easily switch over to it. They are most welcome.
Reporter: Who do you dedicate this medal to?
Neeru: I dedicate this medal to my family, my mother, my coach Mansher Singh, my team, Coach Peter Wilson, Vikram sir, the entire support staff, Ashwini ma'am, TG sir, and my teammates, my brother Kynan, Lakshya Sheoran, and Lakshya's family. When Lakshya won silver in 2018, that was where I got the motivation, thinking that yes, I can do this too, I want to do this. Lakshya taught me, and I used his gun in the beginning. Also to the Indian Army, the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy, Haryana, the Federation, SAI, and everyone else. This medal belongs to all of India, not just to me.
Reporter: What about Randhir Singh ji?
Neeru: Yes, he passed away this year. I would have felt even better if he were here with us today. He won gold for India in 1978, and my gold came after that, so I dedicate my medal to his memory as well. He was a very good, sweet, and noble person.
Reporter: One last question: tomorrow you are playing the mixed team event with Kynan. What are your expectations?
Neeru: Just like we've played so far, ma'am, we will keep our focus on that. We will stay focused on our process.