Early Life and Education:
Heena Sidhu was born to a Punjabi family in Ludhiana, Punjab. She developed an interest in shooting at a young age and started training under the guidance of her father, Rajbir Sidhu, who is also a shooter. Heena completed her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent School in Ludhiana and later pursued a bachelor's degree in Dentistry from the Guru Nanak Dev Dental College and Research Institute in Sunam.
Career in Shooting:
Heena Sidhu began her professional shooting career in 2006 and made her international debut at the Asian Shooting Championship in 2008. She won a gold medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol event at the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi in 2010. She went on to win several medals at the national and international level, including the Gold Medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
In 2013, Heena Sidhu became the first Indian pistol shooter to reach the world number one ranking in the Women's 10m Air Pistol event. She has also won a silver medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol event at the Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014.
Heena has participated in several shooting tournaments across the globe, including the ISSF World Cup, Asian Shooting Championships, and the World Championships. She has represented India at the Olympics as well, making her debut at the London Olympics in 2012. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, she narrowly missed out on qualifying for the finals.
Off the field activities:
Apart from her shooting career, Heena Sidhu is also an active advocate for various social causes. She is associated with the NGO, Pratham, which works towards improving the quality of education for underprivileged children in India. She has also been vocal about issues such as gender equality and women's empowerment.
In 2018, Heena Sidhu made her acting debut in the sports biopic, 'Gold,' directed by Reema Kagti. She played the role of a female hockey player in the movie, which was based on the historic win of the Indian men's hockey team at the 1948 London Olympics.
Awards and Honors:
Heena Sidhu has been honored with several awards for her outstanding achievements in sports. In 2014, she was awarded the Arjuna Award, which is conferred by the Government of India to recognize outstanding achievements in sports. She was also awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honor, in 2018.
In 2014, Heena was honored with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, for her contribution to sports. She has also been awarded the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, the Punjab Sports Award, and the Sportswoman of the Year Award by FICCI.
Heena Sidhu's journey from a young girl with a passion for shooting to becoming one of India's finest sportswomen has been nothing short of inspiring. She has overcome several challenges and setbacks in her career to emerge as a world-class athlete. Heena Sidhu's dedication, perseverance, and hard work have made her an icon
RECORDS:
WORLD CUP
2013 | 10 m air pistol | Germany | GOLD |
2017 | 10 m air pistol mixed team | New Delhi | GOLD |
2009 | 10 m air pistol | Beijing | SILVER |
2014 | 10 m air pistol | Fort Benning | SILVER |
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
2010 | 10 m air pistol pairs | Delhi | GOLD |
2018 | 25 m pistol | Gold Coast | GOLD |
2010 | 10 m air pistol | Delhi | SILVER |
2018 | 10 m air pistol | Gold Coast | SILVER |
ASIAN GAMES
2010 | 10 m air pistol team | Guangzhou | SILVER |
2014 | 25 m Pistol team | Incheon | BRONZE |
2018 | 10 m air pistol | Jakarta- Palembong | BRONZE |
COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
2017 | 10 m air pistol | Brisbane | GOLD |
ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
2015 | 10 m air pistol | Kuwait | GOLD |
2007 | 10 m air pistol | Kuwait | BRONZE |
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