The news of Raiza Dhillon’s Asian Games bronze led to celebrations at her house at Shamgarh village, around 10 km from Karnal, on Wednesday, with the family distributing sweets, and relatives and well-wishers congratulating them.
The 22-year-old skeet shooter, along with Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Maheshwari Chauhan, won the bronze in the women’s skeet team event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The medal has brought pride to the family and the village. For Raiza’s father, Ravijit Dhillon, and grandfather, Daljit Dhillon, it also represents the continuation of a shooting legacy that spans generations.
The family’s association with firearms goes back generations. Ravijit said his grandfather, Gurinder Dhillon, had several guns, which were later passed on to his father.
“My grandfather had a lot of guns, which were transferred to my father. My father put a gun in my hands, but I could not take it to this level. I handed the same legacy to my daughter, and she has taken it much further,” said Ravijit.
The family’s passion for shooting inspired Raiza from an early age. She first handled an air rifle when she was 12 and took up skeet shooting at the age of 15.
“She has been hardworking since childhood. She has worked extremely hard to reach this position,” Ravijit said.
While the family is delighted with the bronze, he admitted they had hoped for the gold.
“She missed it by just one mark. Otherwise, the medal could have been different. But we are proud of her achievement,” he said.
From junior world champion to Asian Games medallist
Raiza’s sporting journey has been impressive. She won gold at the Junior World Championship in Lima, Peru, in 2021, followed by a silver at the Junior World Championship in Korea in 2023 and two silver medals at the Junior World Cup in 2025.
She has also won national and senior national titles and is a national record holder with 122 marks.
Raiza’s mother, Gul Dhillon, is the village sarpanch. The family said the celebrations will continue when Raiza returns to Karnal for a short stay.
Raiza is expected to travel to Doha, Qatar, for the upcoming World Championship, which her family considers an important step towards her Olympic qualification journey. The family said her ultimate dream is to compete at the Olympics.
“She is only 22 and has a lot more to accomplish. Her Olympic dream is still alive,” said her grandfather.
“I am happy that she achieved one more goal and we are hopeful she will win a medal in the Olympics,” he added.
Bronze at Asian Games, celebrations in Karnal: Raiza Dhillon carries family shooting legacy forward
