Fifteen-year-old Tanvi Lathwal, who dreams of emulating Indian shooting icon Manu Bhaker, is set to represent Australia at the prestigious ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, from May 19–27 — making her the first Indian-origin girl to join the national squad.
Born in Sydney, 2009, to a family originally from Chidana village in Haryana’s Sonepat district, Tanvi will compete in the 10m air pistol category as part of the 12-member Australian junior shooting contingent.
Tanvi’s selection follows a string of stellar performances at key qualifying events — the New South Wales State Championships (564/600), Queensland State Championships (559), and Junior Nationals (560) — where she struck gold in all three and cemented her status as Australia’s No.1 junior shooter in the category.
“My shooting journey in Australia began in 2023 after my family returned from India,” Tanvi told TOI from Sydney.
“I was born in Australia during my father’s earlier work posting, and when we came back, he enrolled me at the Genesis Pistol Shooting Club. It’s a dream come true to represent Australia, and I’m confident about my World Cup prospects.”
Tanvi’s journey to the world stage has been anything but ordinary. After the family first moved to Australia in 2008 and secured citizenship in 2012, they returned to India in 2015 to stay connected with their roots.
In Sonepat, Tanvi initially pursued badminton before a bike accident in 2019 left her with a fractured ankle. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she discovered shooting under coach Ankur Arya and soon excelled — winning gold at the 2022 CBSE School Nationals in Ranchi.
Tanvi even qualified for the Indian team through National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) trials but was denied a spot due to not holding an Indian passport. The NRAI confirmed she could compete only as a foreign national.
In July 2023, the family returned to Sydney after her father, Harveer Lathwal, an electronics engineer, landed a job.
“We got her enrolled in a local shooting club straight away. Since then, there’s been no looking back.”
Currently ranked third nationally in Australia’s open category, Tanvi’s journey reflects resilience, adaptability, and the fire to succeed on the global stage.
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