Kishan Reddy Congratulates Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker on ISSF World Cup Medals
Synopsis
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy congratulated Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker on winning gold and bronze respectively in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026, calling their performances a testament to India's growing excellence in shooting.
Key Takeaways
Esha Singh won the gold medal in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026 .
Manu Bhaker secured the bronze medal in the same event, giving India a double podium finish.
Kishan Reddy publicly congratulated both athletes on 27 July 2026 via X.
India's shooting success is backed by the Khelo India scheme (2017) and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS, 2016) .
The ISSF World Cup series is a key benchmark on the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics .
Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy 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 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026, organised under the aegis of the International Shooting Sport Federation.
Context
Kishan Reddy, who also serves as BJP Telangana state president, took to X to extend his congratulations, writing: 'Your outstanding performances are a testament to India's growing excellence in shooting and the strength of our sporting ecosystem.' The post tagged both athletes — @singhesha10 (Esha Singh) and @realmanubhaker (Manu Bhaker) — and used the hashtags #ISSFWorldCup, #Shooting, and #TeamIndia.
Esha Singh secured the gold medal while Manu Bhaker took the bronze in the same discipline, marking a strong double podium for India in one of the sport's most competitive pistol categories.
Policy Backdrop
India's recent run of success in international shooting has been underpinned by two flagship government programmes. The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017, built grassroots sports infrastructure and created a talent-identification pipeline across disciplines, including shooting. Alongside it, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), introduced around 2016, provides targeted financial and logistical support to elite athletes competing in Olympic sports.
Pistol and rifle events have consistently delivered podium finishes at ISSF World Cups and continental meets over the past decade, making shooting one of India's most reliable medal-generating disciplines at the international level.
Stakeholders and Impact
Manu Bhaker is among India's most decorated active shooters, having built an impressive record in pistol events including landmark Olympic success. Esha Singh has steadily risen through the senior international circuit in pistol events and the gold medal here represents a significant achievement in her career.
The ISSF, as the global governing body for Olympic shooting disciplines, conducts the World Cup series as a key competitive benchmark and qualification reference for the Olympic cycle. Results at these events carry weight beyond the podium, informing selection and ranking for the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Ministerial acknowledgement of sporting achievements — even outside a minister's own portfolio — has become a standard feature of government communication, reflecting the broader political priority placed on projecting India's sporting progress on the world stage.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to the ISSF Olympic qualification calendar leading up to the 2028 Games, where both Singh and Bhaker are expected to be central figures in India's shooting contingent. Any supplementary budget allocations for shooting infrastructure in the next fiscal year will also be closely watched by the sporting community.
Point of View
But the underlying achievement is substantive. A gold-bronze double in the Women's 25m Pistol at an ISSF World Cup reinforces India's status as a consistent shooting power, built on a decade of structured government investment through TOPS and Khelo India. For Esha Singh, a gold at this level signals a maturation into the top tier of world pistol shooting. With the 2028 Olympic qualification cycle opening, both results will carry strategic importance beyond the symbolic.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in the Women's 25m Pistol at the ISSF World Cup 2026?
Esha Singh won the gold medal in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026.
What medal did Manu Bhaker win at the ISSF World Cup 2026?
Manu Bhaker won the bronze medal in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026.
Why did G. Kishan Reddy congratulate Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker?
G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines and BJP Telangana state president, congratulated both shooters on their gold and bronze medal performances at the ISSF World Cup 2026 as part of routine government engagement with India's sporting achievements.
What is the ISSF World Cup?
The ISSF World Cup is a series of international shooting competitions organised by the International Shooting Sport Federation, the global governing body for Olympic shooting disciplines. It serves as a key competitive benchmark and qualification reference for the Olympics.
How does India support its elite shooters?
India supports elite shooters primarily through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched around 2016, which provides targeted financial and logistical backing, and the Khelo India scheme (2017), which builds grassroots infrastructure and identifies talent.
