Ace pistol shooter Manu Bhaker is set to lead a 35-member Indian contingent at the ISSF World Cups in South America, starting April 1, 2025, marking the beginning of the international shooting season. The squad comprises nearly all the shooters who participated in the Paris Olympics, ensuring a strong representation on the global stage.

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A notable highlight is the return of air pistol specialist Saurabh Chaudhary to the national squad after a three-year hiatus. Following the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Saurabh struggled with a shoulder injury and inconsistent form. However, he recently demonstrated a remarkable comeback, setting a national record in the 10m air pistol qualification and delivering strong performances in the selection trials. He had partnered with Manu Bhaker in the 10m air pistol mixed team event during the Tokyo Games.

The international shooting calendar kicks off with two successive World Cup events in South America. The first, covering rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines, is scheduled in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from April 1-11, followed by another combined World Cup in Lima, Peru, from April 13-22.

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Manu, who recently received the prestigious Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for securing two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in the 10m women’s air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event (partnering with Sarabjot Singh), will compete in two individual events—women’s air pistol and 25m pistol.

Joining her are other Olympians, including Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer Sidhu (men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol), Esha Singh (women’s 25m pistol), Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions), Sift Kaur Samra and Shriyanka Sadangi (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions), Arjun Babuta (men’s 10m air rifle), Prithviraj Tondaiman (men’s trap), Anant Jeet Singh Naruka (men’s skeet), and Raiza Dhillon (women’s skeet).

Training camp from March 14

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Before heading to South America, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) will hold a training camp at the Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi starting March 14.

The ISSF calendar for the year features major events, including the World Championships—shotgun in October and rifle/pistol in November. Additionally, there will be three World Cup stages for each discipline and two junior World Cups, with the second one set to take place in New Delhi in September. The 16th Asian Championships in Kazakhstan, scheduled for August, is also on the agenda.

NRAI secretary-general Sultan Singh stressed the need for Indian shooters to build on their Paris Olympics success, where the 21-member squad secured three bronze medals. “It’s now a collective responsibility for the shooting fraternity to aim even higher. We are confident that our selected athletes will shine in the upcoming competitions,” he said.

NRAI has also appointed an extensive team of coaches and experts to support Indian shooters in their journey toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Manu’s long-time coach, Jaspal Rana, has been named the high-performance coach for 25m pistol, while Olympic medallist Jitu Rai takes charge of coaching the 10m air pistol team. Deepali Deshpande, a recent recipient of the Dronacharya Award, has been appointed head coach for rifle shooters, having played a crucial role in guiding Swapnil Kusale to a bronze medal in Paris.

Indian contingent for ISSF World Cups (individual events):

Air Rifle:
Men: Rudrankksh Patil, Arjun Babuta, Hriday Hazarika
Women: Arya Rajesh Borse, R Narmada Nithin, Sonam Uttam Maskar

50m Rifle 3 Positions:
Men: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Chain Singh, Niraj Kumar
Women: Ashi Chouksey, Shriyanka Sadangi, Sift Kaur Samra

Air Pistol:
Men: Saurabh Chaudhary, Ravinder Singh, Varun Tomar
Women: Suruchi, Manu Bhaker, Sainyam

25m Rapid-Fire Pistol:
Men: Anish Bhanwala, Vijayveer Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh

25m Sports Pistol:
Women: Manu Bhaker, Simranpreet Kaur Brar, Esha Singh

Trap:
Men: Lakshay, Prithviraj Tondaiman, Zoravar Singh Sandhu
Women: Neeru, Pragati Dubey, Bhavya Tripathi

Skeet:
Men: Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Anantjeet Naruka, Gurjoat Singh
Women: Raiza Dhillon, Ganemat Sekhon, Darshna Rathore

Mixed Team events:
Air Rifle Mixed Team: Rudrankksh Patil & Arya Rajesh Borse; Arjun Babuta & R Narmada Nithin
Air Pistol Mixed Team: Saurabh Chaudhary & Suruchi; Ravinder Singh & Manu Bhaker
Trap Mixed Team: Lakshay & Neeru; Prithviraj Tondaiman & Pragati Dubey