Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Monday, 27 July 2026 congratulated Indian shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker after they claimed gold and bronze medals respectively in the Women's 25-Metre Pistol event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup.

Posting in Hindi on X, Sharma wrote: 'ISSF शूटिंग विश्व कप में महिला 25 मीटर पिस्टल स्पर्धा में स्वर्ण पदक जीतने पर @singhesha10 तथा कांस्य पदक जीतने पर @realmanubhaker को हार्दिक बधाई' — ('Heartfelt congratulations to Esha Singh for winning the gold medal and to Manu Bhaker for winning the bronze medal in the Women's 25-Metre Pistol event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup.')

The Chief Minister described the achievement as 'historic' and said the duo's 'dedication, discipline and outstanding performance have elevated India's honour on the world stage.' He added that the success is an 'inspiring symbol of India's growing sporting strength and empowered women power,' and expressed hope it would give young Indians — 'especially our daughters' — the confidence to dream big and realise those dreams.

Context

Esha Singh has been one of India's most consistent performers in the 25-metre pistol discipline at both junior and senior international levels, steadily building a record across ISSF-sanctioned competitions. Manu Bhaker is among the country's most decorated pistol shooters, having won multiple international medals including at the Olympics, and her continued podium finishes underline the depth India has developed in the event.

The two athletes competing in the same final and finishing on the podium together marks a notable moment for Indian shooting, with the country placing two women in the top three of a World Cup discipline.

Policy Backdrop

India's rise in shooting has been underpinned by sustained institutional investment since the early 2010s, including upgraded ranges, foreign coaching expertise, and structured athlete support. The Khelo India programme, launched in 2017, further extended grassroots infrastructure and elite athlete pipelines, with shooting among the disciplines that have benefited most visibly.

Political leaders across the spectrum have increasingly used podium finishes by women shooters as evidence of both sporting progress and gender empowerment — a framing Sharma's post explicitly echoes, linking the medals to 'sashakt nari shakti' (empowered women power).

Stakeholders and Impact

Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker are the most direct beneficiaries of the renewed spotlight, which typically translates into increased sponsorship interest and selection priority for upcoming international cycles. For the broader community of women pistol shooters in India, a dual podium at a World Cup stage reinforces the viability of the discipline as a medal pathway.

Young athletes — particularly girls in states with emerging shooting academies — are the secondary audience Sharma explicitly addresses, framing the result as motivational capital for the next generation. Coaches and state sports bodies may also point to the result when lobbying for infrastructure funding.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to India's performance at remaining 2026 ISSF World Cup stages, where consistent results will strengthen the country's world ranking and inform selection for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle. Both Singh and Bhaker are expected to feature prominently in national trials and international assignments leading up to that cycle.

As Indian shooting continues to punch above its weight on the global stage, the pressure on administrators to sustain — and expand — the support ecosystem will only grow, with results like this World Cup double-podium serving as the benchmark.