Anjali Shekhawat wins gold in 10m air pistol at KSS Memorial Championship
Synopsis
Anjali Shekhawat's comeback from fourth in qualification to gold in the final was the headline, but Kanak Budhwar's three-medal haul — gold in junior women, youth women, and team — signals Haryana's depth in pistol shooting. The state's team event gold underscores a generational shift in Indian shooting, with younger athletes stepping into roles once dominated by established names.
Key Takeaways
Anjali Shekhawat of Rajasthan won gold in 10m air pistol women with a final score of 240.5 on 4 May at the 24th KSS Memorial Championship .
Kanak Budhwar of Haryana claimed silver in the senior women's event ( 238.7 ) and gold in both junior women ( 238.4 ) and youth women ( 244.3 ) categories.
Haryana won the team event with 1718.0-48x , ahead of Railways ( 1710.0-40x ) and Uttar Pradesh ( 1709.0-50x ).
Olympian Esha Singh of Telangana topped qualification with 582-20x but did not start in the final.
Rajasthan's Anjali Shekhawat claimed the gold medal in the 10m air pistol women's event at the 24th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship on 4 May, held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in the national capital region. Shekhawat, who qualified fourth in the preliminary round with a score of 576-23x, delivered a commanding final performance, scoring 240.5 to top the podium.
Final results and standout performances
Haryana's Kanak Budhwar secured the silver medal with 238.7, while Punjab's Agam Ranjit Kaur Grewal took bronze with 216. The qualification round had been topped by Olympian Esha Singh of Telangana with 582-20x, followed by Grewal (579-15x) and Muskan Chahal of Haryana (577-21x). However, both Singh and Madhya Pradesh's Mahima Turhi Agrawal, who had qualified seventh, did not compete in the final round.
Budhwar's multi-medal dominance
Budhwar extended her exceptional showing across three categories. In the 10m air pistol junior women event, she clinched gold with 238.4, ahead of Haryana's Priyanshi Purva (silver, 237.5) and Ketan of Haryana (bronze, 216.8). In the youth women's category, Budhwar posted an even more dominant 244.3 to secure gold, with Navya of Haryana taking silver (237.7) and Army's Anjali Mahendra Bhagwat finishing third (215.3).
Supporting finalists
Railways' Yuvika Tomar finished fourth in the senior women's final with 196.1 (576-15x), while Muskan Chahal placed fifth with 174.8. Another Haryana shooter, Muskan, ended sixth with 154.8 (575-19x).
Team event triumph for Haryana
Haryana dominated the team event, with the trio of Priyanshi Purva, Navya, and Surbhi Rao combining for a gold medal total of 1718.0-48x. Railways, represented by Yuvika Tomar, Sakshi Anil Suryavanshi, and Riya Shirish Thatte, claimed silver with 1710.0-40x, while Uttar Pradesh's trio of Vanshika Chaudhary, Sanskriti Bana, and Anjali Chaudhary secured bronze with 1709.0-50x.
Point of View
Signalling Haryana's pipeline depth in pistol shooting. The state's team gold, built on younger athletes like Navya and Priyanshi Purva, suggests the next Olympic cycle will see fresh faces challenging established shooters like Esha Singh, who remains formidable in qualification but now faces stiffer final-round competition.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in the 10m air pistol women's event at the KSS Memorial Championship?
Rajasthan's Anjali Shekhawat won gold with a final score of 240.5 on 4 May. She qualified fourth in the preliminary round with 576-23x but delivered a strong final performance to top the podium.
How many medals did Kanak Budhwar win at the championship?
Kanak Budhwar of Haryana won three gold medals: silver in the senior women's 10m air pistol (238.7), gold in junior women (238.4), and gold in youth women (244.3).
Which state won the team event in 10m air pistol women?
Haryana won the team event with a combined score of 1718.0-48x. The team comprised Priyanshi Purva, Navya, and Surbhi Rao. Railways finished second with 1710.0-40x and Uttar Pradesh third with 1709.0-50x.
Why did Olympian Esha Singh not compete in the final despite topping qualification?
Although Esha Singh of Telangana topped the qualification round with 582-20x, she did not start in the final round. The source does not specify the reason for her absence.
What was the venue for the 24th KSS Memorial Championship?
The championship was held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in the national capital region on 4 May.
