A House With Damp Walls, Subsidised Ration Sums Up Struggle Of Asian Gold Medalist Shooter Neeru Dhanda
Neeru Dhanda’s mother sold milk to fund her shooting and learnt of her Asian Games gold while collecting subsidised ration in Haryana, reports Surender Kumar.
Published : October 2, 2026 at 7:30 AM IST
Jind: Though Sudesh Devi looked extremely calm and composed, her voice echoed of the happiness she felt within. “I am so happy that I don’t even feel hungry. My heart is swelling with pride and I have no words to explain what I feel after learning that Neeru has won the gold at the Asian Games,” she said.
Sudesh Devi had gone to collect the subsidised ration her family depends on when she got the news that her daughter is a gold medalist. In Haryana’s Sangatpura village, Neeru's mother Sudesh had once sold milk and counted every rupee to keep her daughter’s shooting practice going.
Today, Neeru has won two gold medals and a silver in shooting at the 2026 Asian Games. "I shudder to think about the years when even buying sporting equipment and ammunition were a strain on the household," her mother reminisces at her family home in Jind district. She also says the situation at home has changed much after Neeru's win. "Visitors keep coming in congratulating us. It makes it all so worthwhile when a child witness to difficult years makes the entire country proud," she adds.
When ETV Bharat visited their home, the rooms had not been painted and damp patches due to persistent rains marked the walls. A small fan provided what relief it could from the heat. A small kitchen in one corner provided little space for cooking. Buffaloes were tethered in a section within the premises.
Neeru’s father, Suresh Kumar, cultivates three acres of land, but the income has barely been enough to run the household. The family relies on government ration to help meet its food needs. Paying for a sport as expensive as shooting required money they could rarely spare.
"Neeru did not even have a gun of her own when she began. She learnt with a borrowed one, practising and gradually making a place for herself in the sport. Her father did whatever he could to support her and sought help from others when his own resources fell short," Sudesh explains.
She also remembers ammunition costing around Rs 80 a round. Buying enough for regular practice was difficult for a farming family already struggling with everyday expenses. She sold milk to help pay for it, while the family stretched its limited means to ensure Neeru could continue.
There were other responsibilities, too. One of their daughters is married and their son is a wrestler. Keeping the household running while supporting the children’s sporting pursuits was a constant challenge.
“We are zero-balance people. But our daughter has made a name for herself through her own hard work and that has erased all our worries,” Sudesh Devi said, her voice thick with emotion.
The family, she said, had never dreamt of lavish comforts. They wanted their daughter to progress in whatever she chose to do, even if they could offer her little beyond their support.
A successful trial with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) brought Neeru an opportunity to pursue shooting with government support. In 2025, she joined the Army as a naib subedar. "These were the opportunities that allowed Neeru to pursue her ambitions," she says.
Sudesh Devi credits Neeru’s effort, coach Somveer Pehalwan and government assistance for her success. “Whatever we have received today is through God’s grace and our daughter’s hard work,” she adds with a sense of gratitude.
Until recently, she said, hardly anyone came to ask how the family was managing. Now, media teams gather outside their home, seeking the story of the young woman who has won medals for India.
Asked what she expects from the government now after her daughter has brought so much pride to the country, Sudesh Devi says 'nothing'. "We have no demand. The government has done a lot to make my daughter worth winning medals. Now it is for the government to do whatever they want to do for her. We are happy and want Neeru to bring more laurels for the country. Neeru has given us our greatest happiness," she says emotionally.
News of the medals has brought celebrations to Sangatpura, a village of around 2,500 people. Preparations for Neeru’s welcome began as soon as residents heard she would be returning.
Suresh said the happiness extended beyond the village to the entire Sangatpura khap. He urged young people to work sincerely in whichever field they chose. “Hard work never goes waste. Success may come late, but it does come,” he adds.
For now, congratulations continue to arrive at the small house. The family is waiting for Neeru to come home and her mother has already decided what she will carry to the airport - ''churma'', to sweeten her daughter’s homecoming.
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