New Delhi, Aug. 10 -- When Vidarsa K Vinod first picked up a rifle through the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 2018, she was not chasing international medals.

The youngster from Kerala's Kozhikode district simply wanted to experience shooting--and perhaps, one day, secure a government job. Eight years later, the 27-year-old has transformed that curiosity into a place in India's squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she will compete in both the 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions events.

Her journey, however, has been built on resilience, sacrifice and the unwavering support of those closest to her.

Born into a middle-class family, Vidarsa's father works as a contractor while her mother is a homemaker. With shootin...