Standing still, focusing for hours seemed boring to Tilottama Sen when she first took up shooting. At 18, however, she has already won a silver medal at the Asian Games 2026 and is emerging as one of India’s promising shooting talents.
Sen was part of the Indian trio that claimed silver in the women’s 50m rifle 3-position team event alongside Vidarsa Vinod and Ashi Chouksey. India finished behind China with a total of 1,763 points; Sen was the team’s top performer in qualification, scoring 590. For Sen, who had previously specialised in the 10m air rifle, the podium finish marked both personal redemption and validation of a challenging transition to a new event.
“It was amazing, because last time I had missed the Games, and this time I had made it, that too in a different event,” Sen told Reporter World. “Making it to the Games itself was a very big thing for me, and then going there and performing well was really amazing. I was glad that I got the opportunity to step on that podium.”
The switch to the 50m rifle was far from straightforward. The event requires athletes to master three distinct positions — kneeling, prone, and standing — demanding considerable technical adjustments and mental discipline. “It wasn’t a very easy thing for me. It took me around six months to get used to the new event,” she explained.
“I used to shoot 10 metres, but later, when I started 50 metres, and that too with three different positions, getting used to it took quite some time. It was challenging in the beginning, but I’m glad I had my coach there. He helped me, so it was fine later.”
Sen’s journey in shooting began at the age of 12, when her father first introduced her to the sport. Initially, however, she struggled to find it interesting. “It was boring because I personally didn’t know that there was a sport called shooting until my dad told me. And for a 12-year-old, it was very boring to stand still for hours,” she recalled.
The turning point came at a club competition in Bengaluru, where a strong performance made her realise she had the potential to excel. “That’s when I performed really well, and I said, ‘Oh, if I am able to perform well, then if I take it seriously, maybe I could do something better.’ That’s how it started.”
Asked about her father's reaction to her medal-winning performance, Sen struggled to articulate his emotions into words. “He was extremely happy. It’s impossible to explain it in words, but they’re really, really happy that I could win a medal,” she said. The outpouring of public support since her return has only strengthened her resolve. Sen, however, insists that the expectations surrounding her performances have never felt like a burden.
“I take it as a positive thing. Since the time I’ve started shooting, I’ve had some pretty good matches and scores, so expectations have been there from the beginning. But I’ve never seen it as a problem. There are people here to cheer me up and support me. It’s never been a pressure for me.”
Her support system includes her parents, coaches and the sports science team at the Reliance Foundation, which she joined in 2022. “The support I’ve been receiving, be it financially or mentally, everyone’s always there to help me. I have a really nice sports science team: the nutritionist, the psychologist, the strength and conditioning coach. Overall, it’s been a really good experience, and I’m glad that I had Reliance.”
Looking ahead, Sen has a clear roadmap. The national championships later this year will be her immediate focus, followed by the Olympic qualification events in 2027. Her ultimate goal is to compete at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. “I was very close to making it to Paris last time. I had the quota, but unfortunately I missed it. So I’m making sure that I make it to LA this time. My main goal would be to focus on the quota matches next year, get a quota, and then LA is definitely there.”
For a shooter who once found the hours on the range tedious as a 12-year-old, Sen has come a long way. The Asian Games silver medal is an important milestone, but for the 18-year-old, it could well be the beginning of a promising career.