Ashi Chouksey: The Pursuit of the Perfect Shot

In the latest episode of Reliance Foundation’s Safar Champions Ka, Ashi Chouksey revisits the moments, people and experiences that shaped her journey, reflecting on her first encounter with shooting, the discipline that has driven her progress and the support system that continues to push her towards the biggest stages.

For Ashi Chouksey, the journey to becoming one of India’s leading rifle shooters began with a rifle, five shots and an extraordinary first impression.

“I shot five shots in which four were the bullseye and one shot was nine. So when I first picked up the rifle, I shot 49 out of 50,” Ashi recalls. That first experience at an NCC camp revealed a natural ability that would eventually take her from the classrooms of Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School, BHEL, Bhopal, to the biggest stages in international shooting.

Her school remembers those early days with pride. Ashi’s journey began during Class 9, when she was introduced to shooting through NCC. She quickly stood out, showing an ability to perform across all three positions, kneeling, prone and standing.

Her early promise soon translated into competitive success. When Ashi travelled to Jabalpur for an NCC competition, she found herself competing for a place at the state level. Despite joining the process later than the other qualifiers, she won the competition and returned with a gold medal. That victory marked the beginning of a more serious pursuit of shooting.

But talent was only one part of the equation.

Ashi’s academy coach highlights her discipline as one of her biggest strengths. Living around 25–27 kilometres away from the shooting range, she made the journey regularly for training and remained committed to the process. “Regular basis pe uska training par aana aur wo discipline ko maintain karna ye uski sabse badi strength hai,” her coach says.

Over the years, Ashi continued to develop both technically and mentally. Her consistency reached another level at the National Games, where she produced a remarkable score of 598/600 in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event. The performance demonstrated the precision and composure that had become hallmarks of her shooting.

For Ashi, the support system around her has been equally important. “I think the best part of the Reliance team is that they take feedback every other day, every other week and the preparations are going really good,” she says, describing the environment as a “safe place” for her.

Her journey has already taken her to the Asian Games, where she won three consecutive medals. Yet Ashi is not content with simply repeating the past. Reflecting on her two silver medals and one bronze, she makes her ambition clear: “I definitely want ki is baar I should change the colour of the medal and I will definitely go for the gold.”

Behind that ambition stands a family, school and coaching ecosystem that has watched her journey unfold from the very beginning. Her father captures the pride of seeing Ashi progress from a young shooter to an athlete representing the nation: “Meri bachchi toh hai, lekin woh aaj India ki bachchi, India ka naam roshan kar rahi hai.”

From an unexpected first encounter with a rifle to national records and Asian Games podiums, Ashi Chouksey’s story is ultimately one of precision, discipline and persistence. Every shot has demanded focus, but every milestone has also strengthened her belief in what comes next.

And for Ashi, the target is clear, keep improving, keep aiming higher and change the colour of the medal.