‘Stay humble, win medals for India’: Himanshu Dhillon reveals Virat Kohli inspiration

Himanshu Dhillon says Virat Kohli’s dedication, humility and commitment to India have inspired him as the 20-year-old shooter looks to build his own career after winning two silver medals at the Asian Games.

Dhillon, who won silver in the individual 10m air rifle event and also contributed to India’s team silver, said Kohli’s approach to his sport has influenced his own ambitions.

“I was inspired to build a name like Virat Kohli, stay humble, do as much as possible for my countrymen and parents, and win maximum medals for India,” Dhillon said during a media interaction.

The 20-year-old credited his coach Pooja Ghatkar and the sports science team for helping him prepare for the pressure of his first multi-sport event. He also worked closely with psychologist Shivam Dwivedi, who gave him daily mental exercises to improve his focus and manage anxiety before crucial shots.

Dhillon said that preparation helped him during the individual final, particularly when he was sitting in the bronze-medal position.

“When the fourth-place shooter was eliminated and our medal was guaranteed, I was sitting in third place. I decided to give 1001% to my next shot and focus purely on delivering my best technique,” he said.

That shot helped him move into silver-medal position.

Dhillon also spoke about his transition from wrestling to shooting. He said he spent only around 12 to 14 days wrestling before discovering shooting at a range located at the Gurukul where he studied.

Coming from an agricultural family, the financial demands of shooting were initially a challenge because of the cost of equipment. Dhillon said his parents ultimately supported his career completely.

“My parents contributed 100%,” he said. “My father initially had doubts about whether I could succeed, but after I explained the sport to him, he made his heart strong, as we say in Haryana, and decided to support my shooting journey.”

He dedicated his medals to his parents, Ghatkar and the wider support team.

Dhillon also said his father became emotional after hearing about his Asian Games medals, fulfilling a dream he had for his son. His uncle was an Olympian, and his father had hoped one of his children would win an Olympic or Asian Games medal.

Dhillon said the experience has given him confidence that he can compete for major medals in the future.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-sport atmosphere and the team bonding across disciplines,” he said. “Winning this medal assures me that I can win big-league medals for India in the future.”

Despite his admiration for Kohli, Dhillon revealed that he has never met the former India captain.

“Not yet, sir. If I get an opportunity in the future, I definitely will,” he said.