NEW DELHI: For years, the tiny Haryana village of Sasroli was known for one extraordinary daughter — Manu Bhaker, the Olympic champion. Now a new star has emerged from the same village and even eclipsed Manu at the Asian Games.
Suruchi Singh, just 20, walked into the Asian Games carrying the weight of comparisons.
She walked out carrying a gold medal — and perhaps something even more signi¿cant — the belief that Sasroli has produced another champion capable of redefining Indian shooting. In one unforgettable afternoon in Aichi-Nagoya, Suruchi did what very few expected. She outshone India’s biggest shooting icon, Manu Bhaker, and emerged as the face of India’s pistol revolution. Manu could not even win a medal in the tournament.
Sasroli, in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, is hardly the place one would associate with world-class precision sport. Yet tucked away inside its shooting academy lies a remarkable story.
Both Manu Bhaker and Suruchi Singh learnt the basics of shooting in the same ecosystem. Both trained under coach Suresh Singh, whose academy has quietly become one of India’s ¿nest nurseries for pistol shooters.
Living in the shadow of a legend
Growing up in Manu Bhaker’s village is both a blessing and a burden.
Every practice session came with comparisons. Every competition carried the question: Can she become another Manu? Her rise over the last two years has been breathtaking. She broke records at the junior level, dominated ISSF World Cups, and began collecting gold medals with astonishing consistency. The shooting fraternity knew her talent. The Asian Games introduced her to the rest of the continent.
India entered the Asian Games expecting Manu Bhaker to lead the pistol contingent once again.
Instead, Suruchi stole the show. In the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, Suruchi combined nerves of steel with clinical precision to win gold for India with Kamaljeet. The duo ¿red an Asian Games record of 484.6 ponts.
Calm eyes, steady hands
Those who know Suruchi say her greatest weapon is not her shooting stance but her temperament. There is little celebration after a perfect shot. No dramatic ¿st pumps. No visible nerves. That composure was evident in the Asian Games final, where she never appeared overwhelmed despite competing alongside some of Asia’s finest shooters.
THE MIDAS TOUCH
| विषय (Topic) | विवरण (Details) |
|---|---|
| Achievement | Won the 10m air pistol mixed team gold in Aichi-Nagoya, defeating a world-class field that included Olympic and world champions. |
| Performance Highlight | Haryana shooter stole the spotlight by finishing ahead of Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, underlining the emergence of a new star. |
| Background & Coach | Suruchi hails from Sasroli village in Jhajjar, Haryana, and trained under coach Suresh Singh—the same coach who had shaped Manu Bhaker’s rise. |
| Credentials & Status | Already a World Cup champion and junior world-record holder, Suruchi has shown that she is among the best in the world. |
