Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won two golds, one silver and a bronze medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. | Photo Credit: FARUQUI AM

The first thing that stands out about rifle shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar is his unwavering self-belief. A strong contender for a medal at the Asian Games in Japan later this year, Tomar remains unfazed by lean phases and, backed by his confidence, knows exactly how to rediscover his rhythm and return to the top.

One of India’s most consistent rifle shooters, the two-time Olympian remains grounded despite the high expectations surrounding him in the lead-up to the continental showpiece in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

His approach is simple: to keep his focus on his own preparation and process rather than the stature of the event or the strength of the opposition.

“I always try to focus on myself. I never stop training and putting in the effort. I also know how to bounce back after a lean phase. That feeling and confidence help a lot because I am always prepared to improve in the next competition,” Tomar told PTI in an interaction.

“I ensure that my focus remains on my preparation rather than on how big the event is. My priority is to execute my technique perfectly in every match. If I am able to follow these things, I believe I can definitely win a medal for India,” added the young 50m rifle three-positions shooter, who is the reigning Asian champion and a silver medallist at last year’s World Championships.

Tomar says the lessons learnt from the two Olympics, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, along with his experiences at multiple World Championships and other events, have transformed him into a much more complete shooter and strengthened his belief that he belongs among the world’s elite.

“When I look back at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, I can clearly see how much I have improved. My performances are a testimony to that. There is consistency in my results, and many of the lessons I have learnt over the years are now being implemented, which has led to a significant improvement,” Tomar said.

“My mindset is always the same; to deliver my best performance,” he added.

For someone who has enjoyed remarkable consistency at the Asian Championships, winning five gold medals, three of them individual titles, since 2023, the 25-year-old admitted that even he is amazed by the extraordinary run.

“Fortunately, that has been the case at the Asian Championships, and I don’t know exactly how, but the technique and process I follow give me the belief that I belong among the best in the world. If I am able to deliver my best performance, I know I can be right at the top,” said the World No. 12 marksman from Madhya Pradesh, who was guided in his formative years by his cousin Navdeep Rathore, a former Youth Olympics participant.

“Navdeep was firm that I should start with the 10m air rifle, and I trained in that event for a year. The following year, he introduced me to prone shooting and then, around 2017, I began competing in the 50m rifle three-positions event,” Tomar said.

He believes the 50m rifle three-positions event is far more demanding than the 10m air rifle because it requires mastery across three distinct positions.

“I feel the 10m air rifle is still a relatively easier event compared to the 50m. In the 50m, you have to compete in three positions, standing, kneeling and prone, and each position requires different settings and adjustments. To become the best, you have to excel in all three positions.

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“Secondly, wind has the biggest impact in this event. For example, a shooter might be capable of scoring 590 in normal conditions, but maintaining that score when the wind picks up requires tremendous experience,” Tomar said.

“That is why you will often see many young shooters performing well at certain ranges but struggling at other places where the wind is a major factor. It is usually the more experienced shooters who are able to adapt and deliver strong performances,” added Tomar, who hails from the Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh and candidly admitted that he took up shooting as he had little interest in academics.

While the Khel Ratna Award remains the ultimate dream for every athlete and Tomar is widely regarded as one of the strongest contenders for the honour, the 2023 Arjuna Awardee said the thought has never crossed his mind and that he only hopes merit prevails without any politics.

“I have won many medals, but I have never thought that I should get the Khel Ratna Award. I believe that if I truly deserve it, I will receive it. I just hope there is no politics involved,” he said.

With the National Rifle Association of India maintaining its policy of selecting the Olympic team solely through domestic trials, even if a shooter has earned an Olympic quota for the country, the system has often sparked controversy, most notably ahead of the Paris Games when some quota winners failed to make the final squad due to a dip in form.

However, Tomar backed the policy, saying Olympic selection should be based on current form.

“I think they conduct the trials to assess who is delivering peak performances at that particular time, just before the Olympics. You have to perform in those three or four trials, and the pressure there is so intense that it almost feels like you are competing at the Olympics itself.

“If you are unable to perform in those situations, then you are not ready for the Olympics,” he said.

Published on Jun 17, 2026