New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), which serves as the authority for the Olympic sport of Shooting in India, has announced elaborate plans to commemorate its 75th anniversary.

The festivities commenced at the prestigious Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (DKSSR) Finals Hall, featuring a ceremonial cake-cutting attended by notable figures including Pawankumar Singh, Secretary General of NRAI, Rajiv Bhatia, Secretary of NRAI, Khel Ratna Awardee Jitu Rai, Arjuna Awardee and Chief Shotgun Coach of Team India Mansher Singh, alongside double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, as well as various shooters, coaches, and support staff from the national shooting team and the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) for shooting sports.

During the event, Pawankumar Singh reflected, “The NRAI was established on this date in 1951, with eminent Freedom Fighter and Parliamentarian Shri G.V. Mavalankar serving as its inaugural President. We take immense pride in the legacy of several Freedom Fighters, including former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, G.B. Pant, the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Yashwantrao Chavan, the inaugural Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who were foundational to our institution. Today, shooting stands as one of the brightest sports in securing medals for our nation, and it brings us joy to continue their legacy in a manner that honors their ideals and blessings.”

Detailing the upcoming celebrations, Singh stated, “We have a year-long program planned. Initially, we aim to introduce 750,000 new school students to shooting, either by visiting their schools or inviting them to nearby shooting ranges to take 10 shots each. We will collaborate with the Government, the Ministry of Sports, as well as all Shooting Academies and Local Shooting Clubs across cities and districts to achieve this objective.

This initiative is designed to discover new natural talent. Additionally, we plan to honor all Arjuna, Khel Ratna, Dronacharya awardees, and Olympic medalists in Shooting during the National Championships, along with State Awardees during the State Championships. Finally, at the ISSF World Cup Olympic quota event next year in Delhi, we intend to organize an exhibition match featuring our Olympic medalists, past and present,” he added.

Shooting has established itself as one of India’s most successful Olympic sports, with a collection of one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals over the years. Abhinav Bindra achieved India’s first individual Olympic gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympics by winning the men’s 10m air rifle event. In the recent Paris 2024 Olympics, half of India’s six medals were secured from shooting, with Manu Bhaker returning home with two bronze medals.