Tanvi Lathwal, a 15-year-old shooter of Indian descent, is set to make history as the first Indian-origin athlete to join Australia’s national junior shooting team. She will represent the country in the 10-meter air pistol event at the ISSF Junior World Cup to be held in Suhl, Germany, from May 19 to 27. Inspired by Indian shooting star Manu Bhaker, Tanvi dreams of achieving international acclaim in the sport.
Originally from Haryana, Tanvi relocated to Sydney in 2023 with her family. Despite being born in Australia in 2009—during her father’s earlier professional posting—Tanvi had spent several years in India. She initially pursued badminton in Sonepat before switching to shooting after a serious bike accident in 2019 left her with a broken ankle. During the pandemic, she began training under coach Ankur Arya and clinched gold at the 2022 CBSE nationals in Ranchi.
Though Tanvi had earlier qualified for the Indian national shooting team after excelling in NRAI trials, her lack of an Indian passport barred her from competing. The NRAI did allow her to participate in events as a foreign national. With her return to Australia in July 2023, Tanvi resumed training and quickly rose through the ranks.
She delivered outstanding performances in all three qualifiers — scoring 564/600 in the New South Wales championships, 559 in Queensland, and 560 at the junior Nationals — and clinched gold in each. These achievements made her Australia’s top-ranked junior shooter in the 10m air pistol category. She’s also ranked third in the open category, which includes shooters of all ages.
Tanvi’s father, Harveer Lathwal, an electronics engineer, explained their journey: The family had first migrated to Australia in 2008, received citizenship in 2012, and returned to India in 2015 to reconnect with their cultural roots. They resettled in Sydney in 2023 after Harveer secured a new job, reigniting Tanvi’s international shooting ambitions.
With unshakable focus and remarkable talent, Tanvi now gears up for her debut on the world stage — a milestone not only for her but for Indian-origin athletes across Australia.
