The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has launched an elite national shooting camp in New Delhi, assembling 35 of India's finest rifle, pistol, and shotgun athletes as the country gears up for the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, China, and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The programme, which commenced on Saturday, 12 July, will run in staggered phases through 20 July, serving as the final high-performance preparation block before India's two biggest international shooting assignments of the year.

Star Names in the Camp Roster

The camp brings together a formidable mix of established champions and emerging talent. Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, world champion Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, and Olympians Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Elavenil Valarivan headline the squad, joined by Esha Singh and trap specialist Bhowneesh Mendiratta. The broader roster spans all three disciplines — rifle, pistol, and shotgun — and includes Rahi Sarnobat, Ganemat Sekhon, Vivaan Kapoor, and Gurjoat Singh Khangura, among others.

World-Class Coaching Setup

Olympic champion Peter Wilson will oversee the trap squad, while Thomas Farnik, Jalena Arunovic, and Riccardo Filippelli lead the rifle, pistol, and skeet disciplines respectively. They are supported by a seasoned Indian coaching contingent that includes Commonwealth Games gold medallist Samaresh Jung, who heads the 10m pistol programme, and former Olympian Anwer Sultan as high-performance coach for trap. High Performance Director Pierre Beauchamp and High Performance Manager Ronak Pandit oversee the broader programme, backed by an 11-member sports science team focused on conditioning, recovery, injury prevention, and mental preparation.

What the NRAI Leadership Said

NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo underlined the stakes heading into the international season. “We are entering an incredibly crucial couple of months for Indian shooting. The World Cup in Hangzhou and the Asian Games are major benchmarks for us, and this camp is designed to make sure our shooters are peaking at the exact right moment,” he said. He added that having the core group train together under coaches such as Peter Wilson and Samaresh Jung creates the ideal environment to “iron out minor details” before athletes step onto international ranges.

NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh emphasised the camp’s role in building team cohesion. “A national camp like this is really about building the right momentum and camaraderie before heading into major tournaments. The energy and focus among the shooters and the entire coaching staff right now is excellent. We are going into these next few months as one tight unit,” he said.

Staggered Training Schedule Across Disciplines

The NRAI has structured the camp in phases to maximise use of the national shooting range. The rifle and pistol squads train from 12 to 17 July; the trap contingent prepares between 14 and 20 July; and the skeet team began its dedicated block on 9 July. This staggered format reflects the logistical complexity of running a multi-discipline high-performance camp simultaneously.

Road to Hangzhou and Aichi-Nagoya

The national camp serves as India’s final preparation phase before the contingent departs for the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, after which attention will shift to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. India has been among the more consistent nations on the international shooting circuit in recent cycles, and the NRAI is evidently targeting podium performances at both events. With the coaching infrastructure now in place and a full squad assembled, the coming weeks will be decisive in determining India’s competitive readiness on the global stage.