New Delhi, Jan 18 (NationPress) The Indian domestic shooting season kicks off on Monday as over 150 elite rifle and pistol shooters converge at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (DKSSR) in the national capital for the Group A National Selection Trials 1&2, scheduled from January 19 to 25. This event features competitors across eight Olympic disciplines along with a dedicated 50m rifle prone event for both men and women.

The first day will showcase the two T1 prone finals and commence the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol (RFP) T1 qualification.

Notably, the men’s RFP category has the fewest participants, with approximately a dozen top-tier shooters, including Olympian and world championship silver medalist Anish Bhanwala.

Other distinguished shooters at the prestigious DKSSR include reigning world champion Samrat Rana in men’s 10m air pistol, double Olympic bronze medalist Manu Bhaker, and her fellow Paris Olympic bronze medalists Swapnil Kusale in men’s 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) and Sarabjot Singh, who will also compete in men’s air pistol.

Former mixed team world champion Esha Singh, last year's individual world championship bronze medalist, will participate in both women's pistol events alongside Bhaker. Additionally, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, a former world champion in 10m air rifle, will compete in both men's rifle events.

World championship medalists Anjum Moudgil, Mehuli Ghosh, and Akhil Sheoran will also participate in the women's Air Rifle and 3P events.

Suruchi Phogat, currently ranked world number two and winner of the World Cup finals, will elevate the women’s air pistol event to a primary highlight of the trials.

The National Trials will also spotlight group A newcomers—young, promising shooters who have recently made significant strides to reach the elite level. Competitors such as Jonathan Gavin Antony in men’s pistol, Adriyan Karmakar and Mahit Sandhu in men’s and women’s 3P, respectively, and Suraj Sharma in men’s RFP are poised to challenge more seasoned athletes.

Among the experienced competitors, Olympian and former Asian Games champion Rahi Sarnobat will participate in both women’s pistol events. She will be joined by renowned athletes like ONGC’s Shweta Singh, an Asian Games bronze medalist, Indian Navy’s Omkar Singh, and Gujarat’s Lajja Gauswami, who have contributed to India and junior India teams for two decades and remain prominent in the sport.

Following the conclusion of the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions (68th NSCC) in the first week of the new year, top shooters, especially those who fell short in the nationals, aim to rebound strongly as the international season wraps up in March and kicks off in April, intensifying the competition for spots on the Indian team.

Scores from these initial two trials are crucial for qualification for the first National squad of 2026, highlighting their importance. Elite shooters will seek to compete in major international events early on to evaluate their skills and pinpoint areas for enhancement. This preparation is vital as the second half of the year approaches, which includes the Asian Games and the World Championships—the latter serving as the first quota event for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.