Neeru Dhanda Named India’s Flagbearer for Asian Games 2026 Closing Ceremony

Some athletes finish a tournament with medals. Neeru Dhanda is finishing hers with the national flag in her hands. The 27-year-old trap shooter has been named India’s female flagbearer for the Asian Games 2026 closing ceremony on October 4. It’s a fitting honour for a campaign that has already made history for Indian shooting.

Neeru Dhanda: Overview

The 2026 edition of the continental showpiece is the Aichi-Nagoya Games, and you can read more about the event on Wikipedia’s 2026 Asian Games page.

A Surprise Trip Back to Nagoya

Dhanda was in the stands at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium to cheer on the women’s hockey final between India and China when the news broke. She’s now heading back to the host city to lead the contingent. Anjali Bhagwat confirmed the decision on Friday, adding that the male flagbearer will be picked a day later.

How Neeru Earned It?

Dhanda arrived in Japan as a genuine medal contender, having won gold in the women’s trap event at an ISSF World Cup earlier this year. She didn’t disappoint. She opened with gold in the individual trap event, becoming the first Indian woman to win that title at the Asian Games. She then teamed up with Manisha Keer and Aashima Ahlawat for silver in the women’s team trap, and added a second gold in the mixed team trap alongside Kynan Chenai.

Three medals from a single Games is an unprecedented haul in this discipline for an Indian shooter.

What the Officials Said?

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo called the selection a fitting recognition of her historic performance. Secretary General Pawankumar Singh described carrying the flag at an Asian Games closing ceremony as one of the highest honours an athlete can receive, praising her composure throughout the Games.

Why This Moment Matters?

Shooting often delivers India’s quietest, most precise success stories, and flagbearer selections like this one shine a rare spotlight on the sport. For young trap shooters, seeing a woman from their discipline lead the contingent is the kind of image that sticks.

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