India added another medal to its shooting campaign at the Asian Games on Saturday, with the trio of Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod and Ashi Chouksey claiming silver in the women's 50m rifle 3-position team event in Nagoya. The Indian team finished with an aggregate of 1763, enough for second place on the podium behind China, who produced a game-record 1773 to take gold. Kazakhstan secured bronze with 1754 after a demanding and closely fought contest.
The result underlined India's growing depth in rifle shooting, particularly in an event that tests precision, composure and physical control across three distinct positions — kneeling, prone and standing. Unlike events that can be decided by a single strong series, the 50m rifle 3 positions discipline rewards consistency across all stages, and India's total reflected a solid collective effort even as China proved superior over the full qualification.
The medal was especially significant because it came alongside a strong individual showing from two of the Indian shooters. Tilottama Sen and Vidarsa Vinod both advanced to the final, giving India multiple chances to challenge for a second medal in the event. Tilottama, ranked 107 in the world, was the standout among the Indian trio in qualification, finishing third with a total of 590 after the three stages. Her performance was built on a composed and technically assured series across kneeling, prone and standing, and it placed her firmly among the top eight finalists.
Vidarsa, ranked 15th in the world, also booked her place in the final after a determined recovery. She finished qualification in sixth place with a total of 588, a score that was enough to keep her in contention despite not being among the leading shooters for much of the round. Her ability to steady herself and climb into the final added another layer of promise to India's campaign.
Ashi Chouksey, ranked 18th in the world, was in the mix for much of the qualification and at one stage looked well placed to join the final field. She and Tilottama were tied on 395 after the kneeling and prone stages, with Ashi recording 25 inner 10s and Tilottama 23. That early parity highlighted how finely balanced the contest was, but the standing stage proved decisive. Tilottama produced a stronger finish in the final series to move up to 590 and secure her place among the finalists.
Ashi ultimately finished with 585, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Her performance still contributed to India's team silver and reflected the competitiveness of the Indian line-up, even if the margins in the individual qualification were unforgiving.
The 50m rifle 3 positions event is one of shooting's most exacting disciplines, requiring athletes to maintain control and rhythm while shifting between kneeling, prone and standing positions. The qualification scores determine the eight finalists, leaving little room for error and making every shot count. For India, Saturday's outcome offered both a podium finish and a strong individual platform, with Tilottama and Vidarsa now carrying the country's hopes into the final.
China's winning total of 1773 set a new game record and confirmed their dominance in the event, but India's silver medal signaled that the gap, while still present, is being challenged by a team capable of producing high-level scores under pressure. With two shooters in the final and a team medal already secured, India left the qualification stage with momentum and genuine medal prospects still alive in Nagoya.