New Delhi, Sept. 14 -- When Niraj Kumar completed Class 12, he was faced with a decision that would go on to define his life. With his family preparing for his college admission, the young shooter had a different request for his parents.

Niraj wanted them to use the money they had saved for his college education to buy him a rifle so that he could pursue shooting professionally. Now, he is a part of the Indian shooting squad for Asian Games starting in Japan from September 19 onwards.

"I told them, buy me the rifle. I will see the college degree later. First, I have to shoot," Niraj recalls, saying as quoted by a press release from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

The rifle cost around Rs 3-3.5 lakh, a significant invest...