JAIPUR: When Sakshi Padekar first considered pursuing shooting as a sports career, even renting guns and purchasing basic ammunition posed difficulties, and her parents had to mortgage her mother’s jewellery to get started.
The 22-year-old daughter of a security guard at a manufacturing unit in Pune, Maharashtra, has made significant progress since her roots. She secured the gold medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle individual event with a commanding performance at the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025. Additionally, she led the Lovely Professional University team to victory.
What makes this achievement especially remarkable is that it was Sakshi’s first major win in the 10m Air Rifle, an event she had previously concentrated on 50m Rifle competitions, which she started during her time with the National Cadet Corps (NCC).
"I knew I had to remain calm to have the perfect shot, " she told SAI Media, her voice beaming with emotion after winning the gold medal. "I just focused on my goal and practiced a lot for this day, and it paid off today."
Sakshi comes from Alephata village, located two and a half hours from Pune. Her parents moved to Pune seeking better livelihood and opportunities for their children. Sakshi initially explored several sports, including judo and taekwondo, before becoming interested in shooting during an NCC camp right after the COVID-19 lockdown.