KSS Memorial Shooting: Saurabh Chaudhary wins 10m Pistol, Sakshi Padekar equals record in 50m Rifle 3P
Synopsis
Saurabh Chaudhary returned to the top of the podium in the 10m Air Pistol at the 24th KSS Memorial, while Sakshi Padekar stole the show by equalling the championship qualification record with a 590-34x — a signal that India's women's rifle contingent is peaking ahead of the international season.
Key Takeaways
Saurabh Chaudhary (Railways) won the 10m Air Pistol Men ISSF gold with a final score of 242.8 at the 24th KSS Memorial Shooting Championship .
Sakshi Sunil Padekar (Maharashtra) claimed the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women ISSF gold with 357.7 in the final and equalled the KSS qualification record with 590-34x .
Anjum Moudgil (Punjab) won silver in the 50m Rifle 3P women's event with 357.2 .
Abhishek Saini (Rajasthan) won the junior men's 10m Air Pistol title with 241.1 .
The Army Marksmanship Unit topped the 10m Pistol Men Team event with 1744.0-59x ; Maharashtra led the 50m Rifle 3P Women Team with 1749-84x .
Saurabh Chaudhary of Railways and Sakshi Sunil Padekar of Maharashtra claimed gold in the 10m Air Pistol Men ISSF and 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women ISSF events respectively at the 24th Kumar Surendra Singh (KSS) Memorial Shooting Championship on 14 May. The competition is being held across two venues — the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi and the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal.
Saurabh Chaudhary Tops 10m Air Pistol Men
Saurabh Chaudhary delivered a composed final performance, finishing with a score of 242.8 to secure gold. Gaurav of Uttar Pradesh took silver with 240.7, while Hardik Bansal of Delhi claimed bronze at 219.3.
In qualification, Haryana's Kamaljeet Choudhary led the field with 585-24x. Chaudhary qualified second with 584-25x, ahead of Uttar Pradesh's Gaurav (582-20x) and Bansal (581-18x) in fourth.
Sakshi Padekar Equals KSS Record in 50m Rifle 3 Positions
Sakshi Sunil Padekar topped the women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event with a final score of 357.7, edging out Punjab's Anjum Moudgil, who shot 357.2 for silver. Maharashtra's Aakriti Dahiya claimed bronze with 346.3.
Padekar had already set the tone in qualification, shooting 590-34x to equal the KSS Championship record. Rajasthan's Manini Kaushik qualified second with 587-37x, followed by Odisha's Shriyanka Sadangi at 585-22x and Haryana's Aakriti Dahiya at 584-30x.
Junior and Youth Category Results
In the junior women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions final, Uttar Pradesh's Manya Mittal won gold with 354.8. Madhya Pradesh's Pratha Rathod took silver at 351.9, while Haryana's Hazel claimed bronze at 338.6. Tamil Nadu's Melvina Angeline J finished fourth with 327.4.
Rajasthan's Abhishek Saini clinched the junior men's 10m Air Pistol title with 241.1 in the final, matching fellow Rajasthan shooter Yogesh Kumar's score of 241.1. Karnataka's Jonathan Gavin Antony took bronze with 219.3; Uttar Pradesh's Sahil finished fourth at 198.1.
In the youth men's 10m Air Pistol event, Rajasthan's Devendra Farswal won gold, with Haryana's Priyanshu Yadav taking silver. Hardik Bansal of Delhi secured bronze and Uttarakhand's Shubh finished fourth.
Team and Other Category Standings
In the 10m Pistol Men Team event, the Army Marksmanship Unit (Kedarling Balakrishna, Ravinder Singh, Ajendra Singh) topped with 1744.0-59x. Rajasthan finished second with 1738.0-47x and Haryana third with 1737.0-64x.
Maharashtra led the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women Team standings with 1749-84x, ahead of Punjab (1736-74x) and Rajasthan (1733-76x). In the Deaf Women's category, Chandigarh's Mahit Sandhu won gold with 577-20x.
The championship continues to serve as a key domestic benchmark for India's Olympic shooting pipeline, with performances here closely watched by national selectors.
Point of View
However, is Sakshi Padekar's qualification record-equalling 590-34x — a score that places her firmly in contention for international selection. With Anjum Moudgil pushing hard at 357.2 in the final, the women's 50m Rifle 3P category is producing the kind of depth Indian shooting has historically lacked. The KSS Memorial, often overshadowed by ISSF World Cups, remains one of the most reliable form guides for national selectors.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 10m Air Pistol Men event at the 24th KSS Memorial Shooting Championship?
Saurabh Chaudhary of Railways won the 10m Air Pistol Men ISSF gold with a final score of 242.8. Uttar Pradesh's Gaurav took silver with 240.7 and Delhi's Hardik Bansal claimed bronze with 219.3.
What record did Sakshi Padekar set at the KSS Memorial 2025?
Sakshi Sunil Padekar of Maharashtra equalled the KSS Championship qualification record in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women event with a score of 590-34x. She went on to win the gold medal in the final with 357.7.
Who won the junior women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event?
Uttar Pradesh's Manya Mittal won the junior women's title with a final score of 354.8. Madhya Pradesh's Pratha Rathod took silver with 351.9 and Haryana's Hazel claimed bronze with 338.6.
Which team topped the 10m Pistol Men Team event?
The Army Marksmanship Unit, comprising Kedarling Balakrishna, Ravinder Singh, and Ajendra Singh, topped the 10m Pistol Men Team standings with a combined score of 1744.0-59x.
Where is the 24th KSS Memorial Shooting Championship being held?
The championship is being held across two venues — the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi and the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal.
