India, Aug. 30 -- S tanding atop the podium is a defining moment for any athlete, but for Neeru Dhanda it was a historic first. On August 25, at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship 2025 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, the 25-year-old became the first Indian woman shooter to win a gold medal in the trap category at the event. The Haryana-born athlete struck gold in both the individual event and the team event, alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Preeti Rajak. "It's my first international medal, and to have created history while winning it feels so special. Jab maine apna gold medal jeeta aur mujhe pehnaya gaya, mujhe aisa lag raha tha ki mujhe yeh feeling baar baar mehsoos karni hai. I want to continue to feel this pride of winning a medal for India and want to now do it at even bigger competitions. Ab Olympics mein bhi medal laaungi!" Neeru says, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Despite the milestone, there's little time to celebrate. "At the ISSF Shooting World Cup recently, I could not win a medal. I cried then. Now that I have won gold, I am happy, but I don't want to linger on it. Mujhe training pe jaldi se wapas jana hai aur zyada mehnat karni hai. I have learned to focus on the process and not the result," she adds. Interestingly, Neeru discovered her passion for shooting only in her 20s: "Main toh kabhi bhi sports mein interested thi hi nahi. But when my cousin Lakshya Sheoran won silver at the 2018 Asian Games, it changed everything. Unko dekhkar mere andar shooting ke liye passion aaya. It began as a hobby, but soon a new dedication set in, and I never looked back." For the daughter of a farmer, the journey hasn't been easy: "Shooting is an expensive sport. There were moments where we questioned if it was the right path. But my parents saw how committed I was. Today, they tell me how proud they are - this medal is for them and their sacrifices." Her strict regimen, she admits, comes with trade-offs. She says, "I eat the same diet every day, live with discipline, and sacrifice small joys. Kabhi kabhi sad bhi feel karti hoon, but I remind myself why I am doing this, and it gives me strength." With her breakthrough moment behind her, Neeru is already aiming higher: "I want to continue breaking records and create more history for Indian women in sports. This is just the beginning."...