The Rise of India’s Shooting Prodigies: From Junior Camps to Olympic Dreams

In the past few years, India’s shooting squads have exploded onto the world stage.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Indian shooters claimed three of the nation’s six medals — all bronzes — two of them courtesy of 23-year-old pistol ace Manu Bhaker.

Those podium finishes ended a 12-year Olympic shooting medal drought and made Bhaker the first Indian woman shooter ever to medal at the Games.

Her success underlined a simple truth: India’s rise in shooting is no coincidence but the result of a decade-long transformation in talent identification and training.

A report by Hindustan Times called shooting “India’s most productive Olympic sport,” crediting the availability of modern ranges, dedicated coaches from grassroots to elite level, and a clear development pathway charted by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

The country’s best young athletes — once drawn mainly to cricket or athletics — now see shooting as an achievable Olympic dream.

That dream is shared by stories like that of Rohit Kanyan, a 17-year-old who once idolized javelin champion Neeraj Chopra but switched to an air rifle after discovering a local shooting range.

His story mirrors hundreds of others across India, where exposure, access, and structured programs have turned curiosity into sporting careers.

Olympic medalists-turned-mentors such as Gagan Narang and Sanjeev Rajput now coach within these pathways, guiding young shooters from district academies to national camps under the NRAI and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Grassroots initiatives are reinforcing the trend. Under Khelo India, teenage shooters have claimed top honours in junior internationals.

India placed second at the 2023 ISSF Junior World Championships with 17 medals, many from Khelo India–nurtured talents like pistol gold medallists Shubham Bisla and Sainyam.

This reaffirmed India’s position as a rising force in shooting sports and proved how grassroots investment is now producing world-class results.

To explore more opportunities in Shooting and across various other sports click here

Young Stars Defining a Generation

If India’s shooting revolution has faces, they belong to a confident new generation. Manu Bhaker’s journey from teenage prodigy to Olympic medallist remains the sport’s defining symbol.

After her Youth Olympic gold in 2018 and multiple World Cup triumphs, she redeemed a disappointing Tokyo outing by claiming two bronze medals at Paris 2024 — in the women’s 10m air pistol and the mixed team event.

Her achievement made her the first Indian woman to win two medals at a single Olympics. Her disciplined resurgence under coach Jaspal Rana inspired a new wave of young women shooters.

On the rifle side, Rudrankksh Patil stands out as the calm architect of India’s precision era.

The Maharashtra shooter became World Champion in the 10m Air Rifle in 2022, clinching an Olympic quota and later leading India to its first gold of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

In 2024, Patil shattered records at the national championships and again topped the podium at the 2025 Asian Shooting Championships with teammates Arjun Babuta and Kiran Jadhav.

He also clinched multiple ISSF World Cup medals in 2023 and 2025, reinforcing his reputation as India’s most reliable rifle shooter.

His progression from junior to senior dominance exemplifies India’s structured athlete development model.

Supporting them is an equally impressive lineup of young talents. Esha Singh, 20, continues to rise after winning one gold and three silver medals at the 2023 Asian Games. Her poise and consistency across pistol events mark her as Bhaker’s natural successor.

Divyansh Singh Panwar, former World No. 1 and Tokyo Olympian, remains India’s most experienced young rifle shooter, anchoring the team in mixed and individual events.

Similarly, Suruchi Singh, 19, world No. 1 in women’s 10 m air pistol and a multiple ISSF World Cup gold medallist in 2025 (Lima, Munich, Buenos Aires), has impressed with her calm precision and consistency — representing the new wave of Indian pistol shooters confidently stepping into senior ranks

These athletes show that India’s shooting success is not confined to a few stars but built on an expanding base of young, technically equipped shooters capable of matching the world’s best.

Infrastructure, Coaching, and the Road Ahead

Behind every medal is a machine that hums quietly across the country.

The NRAI, backed by the Sports Authority of India and private academies, runs year-round national camps, talent identification drives, and international exposure tours.

State-of-the-art facilities — from the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi to the Jagatpura Range in Jaipur — now rival Europe’s best.

India now has over 70 recognised shooting academies nationwide, several equipped with electronic target systems that meet ISSF standards.

Olympic champion Gagan Narang’s Gun For Glory academies in Pune, Chennai, and Hyderabad serve as elite finishing schools for juniors.

A Hindustan Times feature illustrated this seamless pathway through the story of Anushka Thokur, a promising young shooter.

Her father first noticed her steady aim while bursting balloons and soon enrolled her at a local range in Bengaluru before sending her to Gagan Narang’s Gun For Glory Academy in Chennai.

Today, she trains under Olympian Sanjeev Rajput at the national camp — a journey that perfectly captures how India’s shooting ecosystem connects grassroots discovery with elite mentorship.

Expert coaching has also evolved. Former champions such as Rajput, Rana, and Raman Shrivastava mentor upcoming shooters, while ISSF-certified international coaches, sports psychologists, and nutritionists form part of India’s integrated support teams.

“Easy availability of ranges, dedicated coaches, and constant exposure to global events make pressure at home competitions feel manageable,” one athlete remarked recently — a testament to how professionalism now defines Indian shooting.

The results validate the model. Since 2020, India has climbed the medal tables at ISSF World Cups, Asian Championships, and junior events.

Key Milestones

2018: Manu Bhaker wins India’s first Youth Olympic shooting gold.

2022: Rudrankksh Patil wins 10m Air Rifle world title and secures Olympic quota.

2023: India finishes second at ISSF Junior Worlds with 17 medals.

2024: Paris Olympics – Bhaker earns two bronze; Swapnil Kusale adds a rifle bronze.

2025: Teen Rashmika Sahgal sweeps junior Asian titles, extending India’s dominance.

Each season, new names join this success story — proof that India’s shooting conveyor belt of talent is working. Reports note that Rashmika’s 2025 victories “represent the success of India’s youth shooting program and grassroots talent development,” underscoring how sustainable the system has become.

Globally, India’s impact is now undeniable. Junior World Cups often see Indian squads outpacing traditional powers like China, Germany, and Korea. Senior shooters, too, are winning medals abroad more frequently.

As Reuters observed after Hangzhou 2023, “India’s shooters have become a benchmark of consistency in Asia.”

Looking toward Los Angeles 2028, India’s sights are firmly set on converting bronzes into golds. With stars like Bhaker, Patil, Esha, Divyansh, and Suruchi leading the charge — and hundreds of trained juniors waiting in line — the sport’s future looks brighter than ever.

The country’s shooting pipeline, from Khelo India camps to Olympic finals, has never been stronger.

India’s story in shooting is no longer about one athlete or one range — it’s a nationwide movement.

Each perfect 10 fired by a young Indian today echoes a collective ambition: to make the tricolor shine brightest on the world’s shooting podiums.