CM Nayab Saini Hails Rahul Sharma's World Record Gold in Serbia
Synopsis
Indian para shooter Rahul Sharma won gold and set a world record in the 10m Air Pistol SH1 event at the 2026 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Serbia. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini praised his unbreakable resolve and outstanding marksmanship.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Sharma won gold in the 10m Air Pistol Standard (SH1) event at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup 2026 in Serbia .
Sharma set a world record alongside the gold medal, resetting the global benchmark in his category.
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini publicly congratulated Sharma on 28 July 2026 via social media.
The SH1 category is for para athletes with full arm function but limited lower-body mobility.
The achievement adds to India's growing competitive footprint in international para shooting.
A world record and a gold medal — Indian para shooter Rahul Sharma delivered both on the same day at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup 2026 in Serbia, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was among the first to mark the moment.
Posting on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, CM Saini extended his congratulations to Sharma for winning gold in the 10-metre Air Pistol Standard (SH1) event — a victory that came packaged with a new world record. In Hindi, Saini called the achievement a reflection of Sharma's 'atoot sankalp, dhairya aur utkrisht nishanebaazi' — 'unbreakable resolve, patience, and outstanding marksmanship.'
What the SH1 Category Demands
The SH1 classification is for para shooters who have full use of their arms but limited or no use of their legs. Competing in the 10m Air Pistol discipline, athletes must hold and fire with precision at a stationary target from a fixed distance — a test of nerve as much as technique. A world record in this format means Sharma did not just win; he reset the global benchmark for what is humanly possible in his category.Serbia, the Stage — and India's Growing Para Shooting Footprint
Serbia is hosting the 2026 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup, one of the premier annual competitions on the international para shooting calendar, drawing elite athletes across rifle and pistol disciplines from around the world. India has steadily built a competitive presence in para shooting over recent years, with athletes from states like Haryana — a state with a strong tradition of producing international-level shooters and combat-sport athletes — frequently representing the country at global events. For Sharma, the gold and the world record together place him at the very top of his discipline heading into what promises to be a consequential period for para shooting on the road to future Paralympic cycles. A Haryana boy rewrites the world record books in Serbia. The next question is how far he can carry that standard.Point of View
Which has invested heavily in its sporting brand, amplifying a world record in para shooting reinforces that narrative beyond cricket and wrestling. The broader significance lies in the signal it sends: para sport is now visible enough to warrant prime ministerial-tier attention, a shift that reflects India's post-Tokyo Paralympic momentum. Whether that visibility translates into structured state support for Sharma and peers is the question that follows every such congratulatory post.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rahul Sharma the para shooter?
Rahul Sharma is an Indian para shooter competing in the SH1 pistol category, who won gold and set a world record in the 10m Air Pistol Standard event at the 2026 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Serbia .
What is the SH1 category in para shooting?
SH1 is a para shooting classification for athletes who have full use of their arms but limited or no lower-body function, competing in both rifle and pistol disciplines including the 10m Air Pistol event.
Where is the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup 2026 being held?
The World Shooting Para Sport World Cup 2026 is being held in Serbia .
What did Nayab Singh Saini say about Rahul Sharma?
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini called Sharma's gold and world record a reflection of his 'unbreakable resolve, patience, and outstanding marksmanship,' congratulating him on 28 July 2026 .
Has India won medals at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup before?
India has built a competitive presence in international para shooting in recent years, with athletes regularly participating in World Cup events, though specific past medal tallies from this event fall outside verified data.
