Mairaj Ahmad Khan, a Jamia Millia Islamia alumnus, won the first Asian Games medal of his career on September 23, helping India to bronze in the men’s skeet team event in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Khan, 50, shot with Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Bhavtegh Singh Gill. The trio finished on 346 points, level with Kazakhstan, and took bronze in a shoot-off. Qatar won gold with 353 and Kuwait took silver with 348. Khan contributed 116 points.
Four Games, one medal
The result ends a long wait. Khan made his Asian Games debut at Doha in 2006 and finished fifth in the final at Incheon in 2014, narrowly missing a medal. He then missed selection for Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022, and returned in 2026 as the second-oldest member of the Indian contingent. Asked about the medal by TimesofIndia.com, he said in Hindi that it could have been better, a reminder that he felt the team could have won gold.
A pioneer for Indian skeet
Khan was the first Indian skeet shooter to qualify for the Olympics, at Rio 2016, and competed again at Tokyo 2020, held in 2021. In 2022, at Changwon, he became the first Indian to win an individual ISSF World Cup gold in men’s skeet, a result that came after he had considered leaving the sport. He is a three-time World Cup gold medallist, with a team gold at New Delhi in 2021 and a mixed team gold at Cairo in 2023.
From Jamia’s cricket team to the range
Khan told The Patriot that he studied social work at Jamia from 1996 to 1999 and played in the university’s cricket team alongside Virender Sehwag. A left-hand batter known for aggressive hitting, he was named Athlete of the Year in 1998-99. He called his time at Jamia “the golden period” of his life. His move to shooting began when a cousin, Group Captain Shahrukh Shamshad, took him to Delhi’s Karni Singh Shooting Ranges.
A bigger week for Indian skeet
India won bronze in all three skeet team events at the Games, including the women’s team’s first-ever Asian Games medal in that category. Khan hailed their achievement as a platform for future competitions.
What next
Khan has said the medal he wants most is an Olympic gold, which he hasn’t won. He is preparing for the World Championships in Doha from November 1 to 14, and has set his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
