Suruchi inder singh phogat

Suruchi Inder Singh Phogat: From being an unknown 13-year-old in Bhiwani, without even an Indian jersey, to earning the right to wear the national colours at the Asian Games, shooter Suruchi Inder Singh Phogat's journey is a testament to how far she has come, and the young athlete cherishes the pride of representing India on the biggest stage.

Suruchi's first encounter with a pistol at the Guru Dronacharya Shooting Academy in Bhiwani wasn't driven by ambition for world records. As a 13-year-old from Sasroli village in Haryana's Jhajjar district, she traveled there by local train with her father and brothers, without any sponsorship or recognition in the sport. Seven years later, now 20, she has become a junior world record holder, won multiple ISSF World Cup gold medals, and is one of India's top contenders for medals at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Her journey has been characterised by gradual, silent transformation rather than sudden fame.