Mandaviya Hails Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker's ISSF World Cup Medals
Synopsis
Esha Singh won Gold and Manu Bhaker claimed Bronze in the Women's 25m Pistol at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou on 27 July 2026. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the double-podium finish as a moment of national pride, reflecting India's sustained investment in shooting through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
Key Takeaways
Esha Singh won Gold and Manu Bhaker won Bronze in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup, Hangzhou on 27 July 2026 .
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya publicly congratulated both athletes on X, calling it a moment of national pride.
India's shooting programme has expanded under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) , which was broadened in 2023-24 to cover more pistol shooters.
Manu Bhaker is a multiple-event ISSF World Cup and Olympic medallist; Esha Singh has built a strong senior record in pistol disciplines.
World Cup performances are a key criterion for Olympic selection trials in the current cycle.
India has steadily increased its ISSF medal tally since 2018 through high-performance centres and foreign coaching support.
Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday, 27 July 2026, congratulated Indian shooters Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker after the pair claimed Gold and Bronze respectively in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, China, calling the performance a moment of national pride.
Context
Mandaviya posted on X: 'Bharat on the podium!' — celebrating the double-medal finish by the two Indian pistol shooters at the Hangzhou leg of the annual International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup series. The minister addressed both athletes directly, stating, 'The entire nation is proud of you both.'
Esha Singh secured the Gold medal while Manu Bhaker took the Bronze, giving India a podium presence in one of shooting's marquee Olympic disciplines. The 25m Pistol event is a senior women's category contested across ISSF World Cup stages each year.
Policy Backdrop
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which Mandaviya heads, expanded the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in 2023-24 to bring more pistol shooters under its ambit, with increased allocations for training camps, equipment, and foreign coaching support.
India has built a systematic high-performance pipeline for shooting since 2018, investing in dedicated training centres and international exposure. Successive governments have treated shooting — alongside athletics and wrestling — as a priority discipline for Olympic medal prospects, and results at ISSF World Cups are closely watched as indicators of Olympic readiness.
Stakeholders and Impact
Manu Bhaker is among India's most decorated active pistol shooters, with a record spanning multiple ISSF World Cups and Olympic appearances in both 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol events. Esha Singh has risen through junior and senior ranks with a string of national and international medals, establishing herself as a consistent performer in pistol disciplines.
A Gold-Bronze finish for India in a single event at a World Cup stage reinforces the depth of the country's women's pistol programme and is likely to strengthen both athletes' cases for selection in the next Olympic cycle. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and sports federations will factor such performances into upcoming selection trials.
What's Next
Selection trials for the next Olympic cycle are expected to draw heavily on World Cup performances, making results at Hangzhou 2026 significant for both Singh and Bhaker. The government is also anticipated to announce sports budget allocations in the forthcoming fiscal year, with shooting's continued medal returns likely to support the case for sustained or enhanced funding under TOPS and allied schemes.
India's consistent podium presence in ISSF events signals that the structural investments in shooting infrastructure and athlete support are yielding results — a trend the Ministry of Sports will look to build on as the next Olympic Games approach.
Point of View
A product of multi-year investment through TOPS and allied schemes. For the ministry, such results are both a validation of policy and a lever in budget negotiations ahead of the next fiscal cycle. The timing, with the next Olympic Games on the horizon, adds strategic weight to what might otherwise read as a routine congratulatory post.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Gold in the Women's 25m Pistol at the ISSF World Cup 2026 in Hangzhou?
Esha Singh won the Gold medal in the Women's 25m Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou in July 2026, with Manu Bhaker claiming the Bronze in the same event.
What is the ISSF World Cup in shooting?
The ISSF World Cup is an annual series of international shooting competitions organised by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) , covering Olympic disciplines including rifle, pistol, and shotgun events across multiple host cities each year.
What is the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)?
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is an Indian government programme run by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports that provides elite athletes with financial support, training camps, equipment, and foreign coaching to prepare them for Olympic-level competition. It was expanded in 2023-24 to include more pistol shooters.
What events has Manu Bhaker competed in internationally?
Manu Bhaker is a senior Indian pistol shooter who has competed in both the 10m Air Pistol and 25m Pistol events at ISSF World Cups and the Olympics, winning medals across multiple editions.
Why is Hangzhou significant for Indian shooting?
Hangzhou , China, has hosted multiple international shooting competitions and ISSF events. The city's facilities make it a regular venue on the ISSF World Cup circuit, and Indian shooters have used such competitions to benchmark their Olympic preparedness.
