India’s campaign at the Tokyo Deaflympics opened with a moment that will be remembered for years. Dhanush Srikanth, a 23-year-old shooter from Hyderabad, delivered a performance that stunned the world, winning gold in the men’s 10m air rifle event with a new Deaf Final World Record of 252.2. Standing beside him on the podium was another Indian, Mohammed Murtaza Vania, who claimed silver with 250.1. South Korea’s Baek Seunghak took bronze. This incredible double podium finish signaled the start of India’s best-ever opening day in Deaflympics shooting, made even sweeter by Mahit Sandhu’s silver and Komal Waghmare’s bronze in the women’s air rifle event. Four medals. One day. One historic impact, all led by one young man.

The Boy Who Didn’t Fit In Yet Refused to Give Up

Dhanush’s journey began far from global stages. Born with severe hearing impairment and speech challenges, he struggled to communicate from childhood. He didn’t know sign language, often misunderstood instructions, and found reading difficult. His parents, however, refused to isolate him. They pushed him to study, play, and socialize with other children so that he never felt “different.” It was his mother who noticed his curiosity toward shooting and eventually brought him, at just 13, to former Olympic medalist Gagan Narang’s Guns for Glory Academy. Communication became the first hurdle. Dhanush couldn’t understand verbal coaching. He learned shooting through drawings, sketches, signals, and observation—a language of silence that slowly transformed into excellence. His pathway was not easy. One cochlear implant surgery. Then another. Endless training sessions where the world around him was muted, but his determination was loud.

From Local Championships to Global Recognition

Before the world knew his name, Dhanush Srikanth was already rewriting India’s shooting history. He dominated the junior circuit with a streak of stunning performances, sweeping the junior, youth, and senior titles at the 2018 Telangana State Championships, becoming the first deaf athlete to win a medal at the 2019 Khelo India Youth Games, and capturing three gold medals at the Asian Shooting Championships the same year. His rise continued with a team gold at the 2021 ISSF Junior World Championships and two golds at the 2021 Deaflympics, where he emerged as India’s brightest debut star. Along the way, he became the first deaf shooter to represent India in the mainstream Asian Shooting Championships, breaking barriers in a sport defined by precision, pressure, and unshakeable mental strength.

Shattering Records in Tokyo: A Defining Chapter

At the Tokyo Deaflympics, Dhanush Srikanth walked in with quiet confidence, but he walked out having redefined what excellence looks like. His performance was not just a win; it was a statement to the world. The dominance began right from qualification. Dhanush topped the round with an extraordinary 630.6, breaking the previous Deaflympics world record of 625.1 set by South Korea’s Kim Woo Rim. What made this moment even more remarkable was how his score compared with mainstream shooting events; his qualification total was higher than many results posted at top-tier ISSF championships, proving that his skill stands tall on any global stage. The final was a display of absolute precision and mental control. Shot after shot, Dhanush delivered high 10s, slowly but steadily building an unshakable lead over his compatriot Mohammed Murtaza Vania. When the last pellet hit the target, the scoreboard flashed a staggering 252.2. This wasn’t just enough to defend the Deaflympics title he had won in 2022; it broke his own world record and even surpassed the 252.0 shot by Germany’s Maximillian Dallinger.

victory;Dhanush Srikanth’s triumph in Tokyo is more than a sporting victory; it is proof of resilience, discipline, and the unbreakable spirit of a young athlete who refused to be limited by circumstance. With every record he shattered and every barrier he crossed, he has redefined what’s possible for deaf athletes in India and around the world.