CM Samrat Choudhary Hails Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon on ISSF Bronze
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary praised shooters Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon for clinching bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup, calling their achievement a symbol of youth discipline and national pride.
Key Takeaways
Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon won a bronze medal in the 10-metre Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup .
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary publicly congratulated the duo on 28 July 2026 via X.
The CM described their success as a symbol of 'resolve, discipline and relentless hard work of youth power.' The post included the hashtag #ShootingLeagueOfIndia , underlining domestic efforts to build a structured competitive shooting ecosystem.
The ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) is the global governing body overseeing the World Cup series across rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines.
A bronze medal in the 10-metre Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup — and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary made sure the country paused to notice. The CM took to X on 28 July 2026 to congratulate shooters Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon on a performance he called a symbol of India's young sporting resolve.
In his post, CM Choudhary wrote: 'ISSF शूटिंग विश्व कप में 10 मीटर एयर राइफल मिश्रित टीम स्पर्धा में कांस्य पदक जीतकर सोनम मस्कर जी एवं हिमांशु ढिल्लों जी ने देश को गौरवान्वित किया है' — 'By winning the bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup, Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon have made the country proud.' He added that their success is 'a symbol of the resolve, discipline and relentless hard work of youth power.'
Maskar and Dhillon: Two Shooters, One Podium Finish
The 10-metre Air Rifle Mixed Team is one of the most technically demanding disciplines on the ISSF circuit, requiring near-perfect synchronisation between partners across multiple precision rounds. Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon claimed the bronze, adding Indian names to a competitive global leaderboard governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) — the sport's apex global body overseeing rifle, pistol, and shotgun events worldwide.
Shooting League of India and the Push to Build a Pipeline
CM Choudhary's congratulatory post carried the hashtag #ShootingLeagueOfIndia, a signal that goes beyond ceremony. Domestic efforts to build a structured competitive shooting league reflect a broader push to create a talent pipeline — turning one-off international medallists into a sustained national force. Publicly recognising athletes like Maskar and Dhillon at the state-leadership level keeps that momentum visible and politically endorsed.
Indian political leaders routinely amplify individual sporting achievements on social media, linking athletic success to national identity and youth aspiration. What matters here is that the acknowledgement comes with specific names, a specific medal, and a specific event — not a generic salute to 'Indian sport.' That specificity is its own kind of signal.
The next chapter belongs to Maskar and Dhillon: further ISSF World Cup legs and any Olympic qualification pathway will reveal whether this bronze is a breakthrough or a beginning.
Point of View
Suggesting the endorsement is as much policy signalling as personal tribute. For a sport that has historically relied on a thin elite pipeline, consistent political visibility at the state level can translate into training resources, sponsorship attention, and grassroots recruitment. Whether that visibility converts into structural support for athletes like Maskar and Dhillon will be the real measure of intent.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon?
Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon are Indian competitive shooters who won a bronze medal together in the 10-metre Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup .
What is the ISSF Shooting World Cup?
The ISSF Shooting World Cup is an international series of competitions organised by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) , the global governing body for rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting sports.
What did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary say about the shooters?
CM Samrat Choudhary said Maskar and Dhillon 'made the country proud' and called their achievement 'a symbol of the resolve, discipline and relentless hard work of youth power.'
What is the Shooting League of India?
The Shooting League of India refers to domestic efforts to build a structured competitive shooting league, aimed at creating a sustained talent pipeline for Indian shooters at the international level.
What event did India win a medal in at the ISSF Shooting World Cup?
India won a bronze medal in the 10-metre Air Rifle Mixed Team event at the ISSF Shooting World Cup , claimed by the pair of Sonam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon .
