New Delhi [India], August 8 : An injury on the athletics track ended one dream, but his passion for sport led him straight to the shooting range. Rewari's Kamaljeet turned to pistol shooting in 2019 and has since established himself as one of India's leading shooters.
The 22-year-old is set to represent India at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with shooting events scheduled from September 17 to October 3 at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery, according to a press release from NRAI.
Reflecting on his early struggles and the sacrifices made by his family, Kamaljeet said, "We are a middle-class family, but my parents never let me quit shooting. I had to manage my own expenses for course fees and matches early on, and there were times I thought I wouldn't continue in the event. It took me two to three years to earn that money back, but my family never asked questions; they gave me whatever I needed to keep going."
Transitioning from track and field to shooting required a strong support network back home in Haryana, led by a tight-knit coaching relationship.
"I have only one shooting coach who taught me everything from scratch. He is from my village, so our relationship feels like family. Between my coach and my uncle at home, I've had the strongest foundation throughout this journey," he said.
With consistent performances on the domestic circuit, financial strain gave way to institutional backing through the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). Kamaljeet highlighted how NRAI's transparent selection process and technical support provided the platform he needed to break into the national squad.
"Earlier, I used to struggle a lot just to manage basic expenses, but having sponsorship and support from SAI took a huge weight off my shoulders. Once I could focus purely on my sport, the pathway became very clear because of how transparent NRAI's selection process is."
"My place in the national squad came strictly on merit, based on the ranking points I accumulated across the ranking events. When you know the system is entirely performance-driven and every point you earn counts, it gives you complete confidence to just step onto the lane and shoot your best without any second thoughts."
"On top of that, NRAI provides us with top-quality equipment and ammunition, the exact same standard we use in international competitions. That takes away any worry about our gear on the global stage so we can stay fully focused on performance."
Building on his gold medal in the 50m Pistol Men Junior event at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships and a recent silver at the Asian Championships in New Delhi, Kamaljeet views his recent World Cup exposure as a vital stepping stone for the Asian Games.
"The World Cup was a valuable learning experience. While my performance wasn't exactly what I wanted, it motivated me to refine my preparation. This will be my first Asian Games, and having gained international match exposure, I feel much more confident entering the range in Japan."
Looking back on his transition from an injured athlete to an Asian Games-bound shooter, Kamaljeet added, "Earlier, I used to shoot good scores only in practice, but now I have the belief that I can deliver the same performance under match pressure. One lesson has stayed with me through every phase: if it doesn't happen the way you wanted, it will happen in a better way than you imagined."
At the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, Kamaljeet will represent India in the Men's 10M Air Pistol event, competing in his marquee individual discipline on the continental stage.