Neeru Dhanda Biography
Neeru Dhanda is an Indian sport shooter from Haryana who competes in women’s trap shooting. A member of the Indian Army, she has rapidly established herself as one of India’s leading shotgun shooters. Her breakthrough came in 2025 when she won the Asian Shooting Championships, followed by a landmark 2026 season that brought her an ISSF World Cup gold medal and, most recently, an Asian Games individual gold.
Born and raised in Jind district, Haryana, Dhanda is 26 years old in 2026. She trains with the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow and is a Naib Subedar in the Corps of Military Police. The Indian government has also included her in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme’s Development Group, reflecting her status as part of India’s preparation pathway for major international competitions.
Early Life and Background
Neeru Dhanda comes from Haryana’s Jind district and developed her sporting career through the Indian Army’s shooting system. Public reports have not consistently documented her exact date of birth, but multiple reports identify her as 26 years old in 2026.
Her entry into trap shooting was influenced by her cousin Lakshay Sheoran, who won a silver medal in men’s trap at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. Dhanda has said that Sheoran’s achievement helped inspire her to take up the sport.
She eventually moved to the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy in Bhopal, where she could access training facilities and equipment. Her progression through the sport eventually led to a place in the Indian Army’s competitive shooting programme.
Neeru Dhanda and the Indian Army
Dhanda joined the Indian Army’s Corps of Military Police after women were permitted to enter the rank-and-file structure of the force. She later trained at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow, which supports military personnel and athletes competing in precision shooting disciplines.
She competes as a Naib Subedar and has represented the Army as well as India at international competitions. Her military training and competitive career have developed alongside each other, giving her access to a structured high-performance sports environment.
In 2026, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports identified Dhanda as a TOPS Development Group athlete and a Khelo India athlete.
Shooting Career
Dhanda specializes in women’s trap, a shotgun discipline in which competitors attempt to hit clay targets released from a trap machine.
Her international progress accelerated in 2025. She won the women’s trap title at the Asian Shooting Championships, establishing herself as one of India’s leading competitors in the event. She entered 2026 as the reigning Asian champion and national champion.
She trains under British coach Peter Wilson, the former Olympic champion who has worked with India’s shotgun shooters. Under his coaching setup, Dhanda continued to develop her consistency and international competition experience.
2026 ISSF World Cup Gold
The biggest breakthrough of Dhanda’s career before the Asian Games came at the 2026 ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy.
She topped qualification with 121 hits out of 125 and then produced 27 hits in the final to win the women’s trap gold medal. France’s Carole Cormenier finished with 25 for silver, while Italy’s Erica Sessa took bronze.
The victory was historic for Indian shooting. Dhanda became the first Indian woman to win an ISSF World Cup gold medal in women’s trap. It was also India’s first individual women’s trap gold at the World Cup level.
The performance brought her wider recognition ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
Historic Asian Games Gold in 2026
On September 29, 2026, Dhanda reached the biggest milestone of her career at the Asian Games in Japan.
She won the women’s individual trap gold medal, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games medal in trap or skeet shooting and the first Indian woman to win Asian Games gold in the women’s trap event.
Dhanda scored 28 in the eight-shooter final, beating China’s Sun Yunong, who scored 26. Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik won bronze with 21. Her score of 28 also established a new Asian record, surpassing the previous mark of 24.
The achievement was particularly significant because India’s previous individual Asian Games gold in trap had come in the men’s event, when Randhir Singh won in 1978. Ronjan Sodhi later won men’s double-trap gold in 2010. No Indian woman had previously won an individual medal in trap or skeet at the Asian Games.
Women’s Trap Team Silver
Dhanda also helped India win a silver medal in the women’s trap team event at the 2026 Asian Games.
She joined Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer in the Indian team. The trio recorded a combined score of 328, finishing behind China’s 346 and ahead of Kuwait’s 325. Dhanda herself recorded 118 hits out of 125 in qualification.
Her 118 also placed her among the leaders of the individual qualification. She entered the final as one of the joint leaders with Qatar’s Ray Bassil, although Bassil held the qualification tiebreak advantage.
A Remarkable 2026 Season
Dhanda’s Asian Games gold completed an extraordinary sequence of achievements during 2026.
Her major results include:
- 2025: Asian Shooting Championships gold in women’s trap.
- 2026: ISSF Shotgun World Cup gold in Lonato, Italy.
- 2026: Women’s trap team silver at the Asian Games.
- 2026: Women’s individual trap gold at the Asian Games.
- 2026: Asian record of 28 in the Asian Games final.
- 2026: First Indian woman to win an ISSF World Cup gold in women’s trap.
- 2026: First Indian woman to win an individual Asian Games gold in trap.
Her Lonato World Cup performance also included a qualification score of 121 out of 125, which set a new national qualification record according to India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Training and Coaches
Dhanda’s development has involved India’s Army shooting infrastructure and international coaching. She trains at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow and has worked with Peter Wilson, a British coach and former Olympic champion.
Her career also illustrates the importance of India’s military sports system in developing elite athletes. The Army Marksmanship Unit provides training for military personnel and athletes competing in shooting events at international level.
Neeru Dhanda’s Personal Life
Dhanda generally keeps her personal life away from extensive media coverage. Most public information about her focuses on her sporting career, military service and international competitions.
Her family has nevertheless played an important role in her sporting journey. Her cousin Lakshay Sheoran’s success at the 2018 Asian Games was one of the influences that encouraged her to pursue trap shooting.
After winning her Asian Games gold, Dhanda dedicated the medal to Indian Army soldiers and the late Randhir Singh, India’s 1978 Asian Games men’s trap champion.
Neeru Dhanda’s Significance in Indian Shooting
Dhanda’s rise has added another chapter to India’s development in shotgun shooting. Her World Cup gold ended India’s long wait for an individual women’s trap gold at the ISSF World Cup, while her Asian Games victory broke another barrier by giving India its first individual women’s trap gold at the continental Games.
Her achievements also came during a strong period for Indian shooting, with athletes across pistol, rifle and shotgun events competing successfully at major international competitions.
At 26, Dhanda’s 2026 results have established her as one of India’s most prominent trap shooters and placed her among the athletes being watched ahead of future international competitions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Neeru Dhanda
Who is Neeru Dhanda?
Neeru Dhanda is an Indian trap shooter from Jind, Haryana. She is also a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army’s Corps of Military Police and trains at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow.
How old is Neeru Dhanda?
Neeru Dhanda is 26 years old in 2026, according to reports published around her Asian Games campaign. Reliable sources reviewed for this biography did not consistently provide her exact date of birth.
What sport does Neeru Dhanda play?
Neeru Dhanda competes in women’s trap shooting. She represents India internationally and is also part of the Indian Army’s competitive shooting programme.
What medals has Neeru Dhanda won?
Her major recent medals include the 2025 Asian Shooting Championships gold, 2026 ISSF World Cup gold in Lonato, 2026 Asian Games women’s trap team silver and 2026 Asian Games individual trap gold.
What did Neeru Dhanda achieve at the 2026 Asian Games?
Dhanda won the women’s individual trap gold medal with a score of 28, setting a new Asian record. She also won team silver with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. Her individual victory made her the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games individual gold in trap shooting.