67-yr-old ‘Shooter Dadi’ wins four medals, turns childhood passion into inspiration
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 22, 2026: Age has proved no barrier for 67-year-old Suman Bansal, who has turned her childhood passion for shooting into a remarkable sporting journey. Fondly known as ‘Shooter Dadi’, Bansal recently won four medals — two gold, one silver and one bronze — at the 51st Chandigarh State Shooting Championship.
Bansal developed an interest in shooting during her school days after attending an NCC camp. She had nurtured an ambition to pursue the sport, but marriage and family responsibilities put her dream on hold for several decades.
It was only two years ago that she decided to return to her long-pending passion. She discussed her ambition with her husband, Dr Surinder Bansal, retired Director of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation, who encouraged her to take up shooting.
Dr Bansal said Suman got married while she was pursuing her BA Part II, after which family responsibilities became her priority. Once she had raised and settled her children and became a grandmother, she finally found the opportunity to pursue her long-standing dream.
“Two years ago, when she became free from her family responsibilities, I searched for a shooting range so that she could fulfil her ambition. She then joined the Sector 25 shooting range,” he said.
Her progress since then has been remarkable. In her first year of competitive shooting, Bansal won gold medals at the state and North Zone levels in the Senior Master Women’s 10-metre category. She also qualified for the national-level competition, where she finished fourth in December last year.
In May this year, she participated in the Kumar Sundaram National-Level Shooting Competition and secured a silver medal.
Her latest performance at the Chandigarh State Shooting Championship was even more impressive. Competing in the Senior Master and Master Women’s categories, she won gold medals in the 10-metre and 50-metre events, a silver in the 50-metre event and a bronze in the 10-metre event.
Family friend Neerja Gupta said Bansal had chosen to pursue her childhood dream rather than let age or social expectations dictate how she should spend her time.
“At an age when many women may choose to spend their time in kitty parties, she chose to fulfil the dream she had carried since school,” Gupta said, praising the support provided by Bansal’s husband.
Bansal now follows a regular shooting schedule at the Panjab University and Punjab Police ranges and has emerged as an inspiration for senior women who wish to pursue interests they may have put aside because of family responsibilities.
Shooting, however, is not her only new pursuit. Bansal is also passionate about music and has enrolled in a one-year diploma course in instrumental music at Panjab University, Chandigarh, this academic session.
Her journey is a reminder that pursuing a long-held dream does not have to come with an age limit.