JHAJJAR: It was a morning of immense pride and celebration for a family in Sasaroli village of Haryana’s Jhajjar district as 20-year-old shooter Suruchi Inder Singh Phogat clinched gold for India at the Asian Games 2026. Partnering with Kamaljeet, Suruchi won the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event. The Indian duo scored 484.6 points in the final to secure the gold and set an Asian record. They had also topped the qualification round with 587 points.The moment Suruchi’s victory was confirmed, celebrations erupted in Sasaroli. Neighbours and relatives began arriving at the family home to congratulate her. Sweets were distributed, colours were thrown in celebration and villagers danced with joy. Relatives called from different parts of the country, while the family also received congratulations from the Haryana chief minister.Suruchi’s father, Inder Singh Phogat, is an ex-serviceman who served in the 19 Punjab Regiment and retired in 2018. He owns around two acres of agricultural land. The family has two children, both of whom are involved in shooting.Inder Singh said supporting their children’s education and sporting careers was not easy. Part of the expenses was met through his pension and farming income, while he also had to borrow money at interest through acquaintances whenever required.The family faced another major challenge: there was no shooting range in their village. Suruchi had to travel to Bhiwani for training. Jhajjar is around 40 km from their village, Charkhi Dadri about 15 km and Delhi nearly 130 km away. During her early years, Suruchi would travel by train with her father and brothers from Sasaroli to Bhiwani for shooting practice.“We watched the match live on television this morning. When my daughter won the gold, I was overwhelmed with happiness. It was a very proud moment for us,” Inder Singh said.Suruchi’s mother, Sudesh Devi, said she always believed her daughter could win gold.Soon after the victory, villagers began visiting the family home to offer their congratulations. Sudesh said Suruchi’s favourite food is churma and that she would prepare it for her as soon as she returned home.Suruchi’s younger brother, Nishant, is also a shooter. Inspired by his sister, he took up the sport at the age of eight and has won several gold medals at the national level in the 10m shooting event.Suruchi began her shooting journey at the age of 13. She is currently pursuing the second year of her BA at Chandigarh University and, according to her family, has performed well academically alongside her sporting career. She has also won several ISSF World Cup medals and holds a junior world record.District Sports Officer Shatrendra Kumar described Suruchi’s achievement as a moment of immense pride for Jhajjar and said her success would inspire other young athletes in the district.After her historic Asian Games triumph, Suruchi’s family visited the Baba Shyam temple to offer prayers and express gratitude. They also prayed for her continued success.
