New Delhi, Aug 14 — Raiza Dhillon's earliest connection to shooting didn't come from a range; it came from her family's hunting roots in Shamgarh, Haryana, where guns had been part of daily life for generations.

At 12, her father encouraged her to try the sport formally, curious to see if the instinct would translate.

It did, and ten years later, the 22-year-old from Chandigarh has earned selection to India's squad for the upcoming Asian Games, where she will compete in the senior women's skeet event, her first appearance at the Games.

"We always had guns at home. It's part of our family heritage. My father wanted me to try shooting just for fun, to see if I'd build an interest in it. That's what really got me started," Dhillon said.

She began with a 10m air rifle, a lighter and more manageable entry point for a young shooter. At 16, she made the switch to shotgun, a transition her parents and coach had planned for once she was old enough to handle the heavier equipment.

"We always wanted to do shotgun, but at that age, the weapon was too heavy for me. My parents and coach thought it wasn't the right time yet, so I trained on rifle first and got some competition exposure before making the switch," Dhillon said.

Her father, a businessman and agriculturalist, was enthusiastic from the start. Her mother, the sarpanch of their village, was more cautious initially, wary of her only child committing to an outdoor sport full-time. That changed as Dhillon's passion and results made themselves known.

"My father was very excited because it was his idea. My mom was a bit cautious at the start; she didn't want me to be in such an outdoor sport all the time. But eventually, because I was doing so well and I was so happy, she was happy in my happiness too," Dhillon said.

The sport reshaped more than her scoresheet. A self-described introvert as a child, Dhillon credits shooting with changing how she carries herself, both on the range and off it.

"There's something about shooting a shotgun that gives you this empowerment. Even after all these years, it still gives me a thrill. It's changed my confidence and my whole approach to life," she said.

That growth came with real pressure. After winning her Olympic quota in 2024 at just 20 years old, Dhillon had to fight to defend her place on the Paris 2024 team, a period she now counts among the toughest of her young career. "The stress of competing at the Olympics at such a young age was difficult to cope with. But it was also a learning lesson; it made me a stronger person," she said.

Through the highs and lows, Dhillon draws a clear line between the two pillars of her support system: technical guidance from her coaches and emotional grounding from her family.

"My coach helps me with the technical side; sometimes you don't see your own mistakes as a shooter, but someone watching you does. My parents have always been there for the emotional side, giving me both the push and the soft space to land when I needed it," she said.

She also credits the structured environment built around India's shooting program by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for helping her raise her own standards.

"The camps NRAI gives us have been a game changer; the ammunition, the clay targets, the coaches, it's given all of us the opportunity to really push our shooting and give it our best," Dhillon said.

She pointed specifically to the preparation process ahead of major international events as a key part of her readiness heading into the Games.

"NRAI is very professional when it comes to preparing us before international competitions. We always have a camp before every tournament, with a full team of psychologists, therapists and physios. That level of discipline and support is what allows us to give our best abroad," she said.

As she prepares to step out at her first Asian Games, Dhillon says her focus is on staying present rather than getting ahead of herself. "This is my first Asian Games, and I'm really excited. My goal is a podium finish, but just as much, I want to enjoy the experience, because whenever I truly enjoy myself, my performance naturally gets better," she said.

Her family gave her the guns. Everything she's done with them since, she's earned herself.

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