CM Fadnavis congratulates Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker on ISSF World Cup medals
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis congratulated Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker on winning gold and bronze in the 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026, hailing the result as a 'Double Delight for Team India' and a sign of India's growing shooting excellence.
Key Takeaways
Esha Singh won the Gold Medal in the 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026 .
Manu Bhaker secured the Bronze Medal in the same event, placing two Indian women on the podium.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis publicly congratulated both athletes on 27 July 2026 .
Manu Bhaker previously won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics , India's best shooting haul at a single Games.
India's shooting success is backed by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Khelo India programme.
Both athletes are expected to be central to India's 2028 Los Angeles Olympics shooting campaign.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, 27 July 2026, congratulated Indian shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker after they claimed gold and bronze respectively in the 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026, calling it a 'Double Delight for Team India'.
Context
Esha Singh clinched the Gold Medal while Manu Bhaker secured the Bronze Medal in the 25m Pistol event, delivering a podium sweep that placed two Indian women among the top three finishers. Fadnavis described the achievement as 'a testament to India's growing excellence in shooting and the strength of our sporting ecosystem.' The result adds to a remarkable run for Indian pistol shooting on the international stage.
Policy Backdrop
India's rise in competitive shooting has been underpinned by two flagship government programmes. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014, channels direct funding to elite athletes in priority Olympic sports, including shooting. The Khelo India programme, announced in 2017, has focused on grassroots infrastructure and early talent identification, expanding the pipeline of competitive shooters.
Manu Bhaker is among the most decorated products of this system, having won two bronze medals in pistol events at the 2024 Paris Olympics — India's best shooting haul at a single Games. Esha Singh has accumulated multiple junior and senior international medals in 25m events, establishing herself as a consistent performer on the ISSF circuit.
Stakeholders and Impact
The medals carry significance beyond the podium. For young shooters across India, a result in which two Indian women finish first and third in the same ISSF World Cup event reinforces the viability of shooting as a professional career path. The Sports Ministry and private academies that have invested in coaching infrastructure are likely to point to such results as validation of sustained funding decisions.
State-level political leaders congratulating non-cricket sporting wins has become a visible pattern in Indian public life, reflecting a deliberate effort to broaden the country's sporting identity ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Fadnavis's post, tagging both athletes directly, amplifies their visibility to a wider political and civic audience.
What's Next
India's shooting contingent will continue competing across remaining 2026 ISSF World Cup legs, with performances feeding into Olympic qualification rankings for Los Angeles 2028. Any revision to TOPS funding allocations by the Sports Ministry ahead of that cycle will be closely watched by the shooting fraternity. Both Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker are expected to remain central to India's podium ambitions at the Games, and today's result strengthens the case for continued elite-level support.
Point of View
A discipline that delivered historic results at Paris 2024. CM Fadnavis's congratulatory post fits a broader pattern of BJP-led state governments visibly backing non-cricket sporting wins to project a wider national sporting identity. With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, such results also carry political utility — they build public support for continued state and central funding of elite shooting programmes. The dual-podium result will likely strengthen the hand of those within the Sports Ministry arguing for enhanced TOPS allocations for shooting ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in the 25m Pistol event at ISSF World Cup 2026?
Esha Singh won the Gold Medal in the 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026.
What medal did Manu Bhaker win at ISSF World Cup 2026?
Manu Bhaker won the Bronze Medal in the 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026.
What did Devendra Fadnavis say about India's ISSF World Cup result?
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis called it a 'Double Delight for Team India' and said the achievement is 'a testament to India's growing excellence in shooting and the strength of our sporting ecosystem.'
What is the ISSF World Cup?
The ISSF World Cup is a series of international shooting competitions organised by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) , the global governing body for Olympic shooting sports.
How has India supported its shooters ahead of the 2028 Olympics?
India funds elite shooters through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) , launched in 2014, and builds grassroots talent through the Khelo India programme, announced in 2017.
