Keralam shooter Vidarsha wins silver at Asian Games, first Malayali medal

Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan telephoned shooter Vidarsha K. Vinod to congratulate her after she became the first Malayali to win a silver medal in the 10 m Air Rifle team event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The call took place on Sunday (September 20, 2026).

Mr. Satheesan told Ms. Vinod that Keralam was "proud of her achievement". He also placed on record his compliments to her coach and her family for backing her sporting aspirations.

From NCC cadet to Asian Games medallist

Ms. Vinod, an alumna of St Mary's College, Thiruvambadi, Kozhikode, had taken up shooting as a National Cadet Corps (NCC) enlistee in 2018. At the start of her foray into air rifle shooting, Ms. Vinod braved several odds, including a severe lack of essential sporting equipment, which forced her parents to take out a loan to buy an expensive air rifle and shooting jackets.

Ms. Vinod later moved to Delhi for training in 2022 and debuted internationally at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championships in Kazakhstan. Her main event, Women's 50m rifle shooting, is scheduled for September 26.

Source: The Hindu