Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Indian rifle shooter who won his country’s first individual Olympic silver medal when he placed second in the men’s double-trap event at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. He was born on 29 January 1970 in Jaisalmer, India. Rathore attended the Indian National Defence Academy and joined the Indian army upon his graduation. Though his interest in guns began when he was a child at the home of his grandfather, an army officer, it was not until 1998 that Rathore took up shooting seriously. Rathore shot into prominence when he won gold medals in the men’s individual and pairs double-trap events at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He followed his triumphant 2004 Olympics appearance by taking a gold (in individual double trap) and a silver (in pairs double trap) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Later that year Rathore led India to a silver medal in the men’s pairs double-trap event and also won a bronze in the men’s individual double-trap event at the Asian Games. He was awarded the Padma Shri (one of India’s highest civilian honours) in 2005. In 2003, he received the Arjuna Award.