Udaipur: Rajasthan shooter Maheshwari Chauhan, who won a bronze medal for India at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, received a grand welcome in Udaipur on Saturday. Prominent personalities from Udaipur, Rajsamand, Banswara and Jalore, along with members of the sporting fraternity and sports enthusiasts, gathered to celebrate her achievement.
The felicitation ceremony was organised by the Rajsamand Rifle Association at Raj Bagh near Fateh Sagar in the evening. Maheshwari was welcomed with applause and a shower of flowers as she arrived at the venue. Earlier in the day, she was accorded a warm reception at Delhi and Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur, where she was welcomed with traditional tilak.
Members of her family, including Raghavendra Singh Rathore, Pradeep Singh Chauhan, Adhiraj Singh Rathore, Anant Singh Rathore and Jitendra Singh Rathore, welcomed and congratulated her at the Udaipur ceremony.
Speakers at the event hailed Maheshwari's achievement, saying that carrying the Indian tricolour to the podium in Japan after emerging from a small village was a remarkable accomplishment. They highlighted the years of hard work, countless hours of practice, sacrifices and unwavering family support behind her Asian Games medal.
Father Built Shooting Range in Village
Speakers also recalled the important role played by Maheshwari's family in her sporting journey. She received her initial training in shooting from her grandfather. Her father, Pradeep Singh Chauhan, recognised her talent early and built a shooting range in their village of Siyana in Jalore district to help her pursue her dream.
Turning Olympic Disappointment into Determination
Maheshwari's father-in-law and Rajsamand Rifle Association president Raghavendra Singh Rathore recalled the disappointment she faced when she narrowly missed a medal at the Paris Olympics. Instead of allowing the setback to deter her, Maheshwari continued to train consistently at the shooting range in Kelwa, Rajsamand, remaining focused on her goal.
Her perseverance eventually paid off in Japan, where she secured an Asian Games medal and helped bring recognition to Indian shooting.
Medal is the Result of Years of Hard Work
Maheshwari's father and Jalore Rifle Association president Pradeep Singh Chauhan said success does not come merely from having access to facilities. He said Maheshwari transformed the opportunities available to her through hard work, discipline and sustained practice.
He described her Asian Games bronze, following several national and international achievements, as the result of years of dedication and perseverance.
Support from Her In-Laws
Udaipur Rifle Association president Veermadev Singh Krishnawat said Maheshwari had not only won a medal but had brought pride to her family, village and Rajasthan. He said her journey could inspire young girls to dream big and work consistently towards their goals.
He also highlighted the support Maheshwari received from her in-laws after moving from Jalore to Udaipur, particularly in continuing her career in rifle shooting.
Among those present at the felicitation were Banswara Rifle Association president Divya Raj Singh, Rajsamand Rifle Association vice-president Devendra Singh Rathore, former Kayaking and Canoeing chairman Piyush Kachhawa, Udaipur Badminton Association president Kamal Bhandari, Udaipur Gymnastics Association president Himmat Singh Chauhan, former District Sports Officer Shakeel Hussain, social worker Rajendra Nalwaya, Mukesh Jain, Rajsamand District Sports Officer Dharmdev Singh, Surendra Singh Rathore, Chiranjiv Singh Grewal, Abhimanyu Singh Jhala, Yudhveer Singh Shaktawat, Rajendra Singh Chauhan, Rameshwar Jethi, Deepak Datt Vyas and Pramod Kundar, among others. Physical education teacher Shyam Singh Sisodia conducted the programme.
Maheshwari's Asian Games Record
Maheshwari won a bronze medal in the women's skeet team event at the 2026 Asian Games, held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Indian team finished third with a combined score of 331 points.
Maheshwari Chauhan, Raiza Dhillon and Parinaz Dhaliwal represented India in the event. China won the gold medal, while Kazakhstan secured silver.
About Maheshwari Chauhan
Born on July 4, 1996, in Siyana village of Jalore district, Maheshwari received her initial shooting training from her grandfather Ganpat Singh and father Pradeep Singh. After recognising her talent, her father established a shooting range in Siyana to support her sporting ambitions.
After her marriage, Maheshwari continued her training at the Rajsamand Rifle Shooting Association's range in Kelwa, where she further developed her skills with continued support from her family.
She studied at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi and currently trains at the District Rifle Association's shooting range in Kelwa. She is married to Adhiraj Singh, who belongs to the family of former Rajsamand MP Hari Om Singh.