Indian shooting has undergone one of the most profound transformations in the country’s sporting history.
What was once a discipline producing isolated bursts of brilliance has evolved into a world-class high-performance ecosystem capable of delivering medals, manufacturing depth, and sustaining excellence across Olympic cycles. The period from 2006 to 2025 marks a strategic, method-driven rise from Abhinav Bindra’s pioneering world title to Samrat Rana’s historic gold in the 10m Air Pistol at the 2025 ISSF World Championships. This era not only reshaped India’s presence in global shooting but also established the nation as a systemic powerhouse.
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In the pre-2006 era, India’s successes in shooting were flashes rather than patterns. Performances by icons like Karni Singh or Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore proved Indian shooters could excel globally, but the system lacked depth, infrastructure, and competitive pipelines. This changed dramatically after 2020. The transformation became undeniable at the 2022 World Championships, where India finished second overall, winning a record 38 medals across Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun. This was not a one-off; it signaled systemic maturity.
Crucially, India began converting junior depth into senior medals. The country no longer produces singular champions it produces batches of contenders.
A New Generation of World Champions
The rise can be traced through the timeline of India’s world champions in Olympic shooting events:
- Abhinav Bindra – 2006 (10m Air Rifle): A watershed moment. Bindra’s gold redefined India’s international aspirations and set new technical benchmarks.
- Manavjit Singh Sandhu – 2006 (Trap): A groundbreaking title in Shotgun, proving Indian excellence was not limited to one discipline.
- Rudrankksh Patil – 2022 (10m Air Rifle): His gold at just 18 symbolised a modern, fearless generation trained through scientific systems and early exposure.
- Shiva Narwal & Esha Singh – 2023 (10m Air Pistol Mixed Team): A title that highlighted India’s emerging dominance in mixed team formats, now critical in the Olympic program.
- Samrat Rana – 2025 (10m Air Pistol): The most significant milestone in years the first Indian to win the men’s individual air pistol world title.
Rana’s win closed a historic gap in Indian shooting, proving India’s pistol ecosystem had finally reached elite global standards.
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India’s unprecedented double podium in the men’s 10m Air Pistol at the 2025 ISSF World Championships is the clearest indicator of systemic rise.
- Samrat Rana — Gold (243.7)
Rana’s performance was a masterclass in composure. Dropping to third in the elimination stage, he produced back-to-back 10.9s and sealed victory with a 10.6 on the final shot. It was not merely technical excellence, but psychological resilience shaped by years of high-pressure domestic trials. - Varun Tomar — Bronze (221.7)
Tomar briefly led the final before finishing with bronze. His presence on the podium alongside Rana validated India’s extraordinary depth two shooters from the same nation outscoring China and Korea on the world stage.
This final was also significant when contrasted with Paris 2024, where India’s pistol shooters failed to reach the final. The immediate rebound in 2025 by different shooters (Rana, Tomar, Shravan Kumar in team gold) shows structural strength, not individual peaks.
Institutional Drivers Behind the Rise
India’s rise was not accidental. It was engineered through a decade of reforms, investment, and professionalization.
TOPS: The Funding Backbone the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) changed the preparation landscape entirely providing:
- Customised training plans
- Personal coaches
- International exposure
- Sports science support
- Equipment and travel funding
TOPS removed the financial uncertainty that historically limited Indian shooters, enabling them to train like professionals.
NRAI Reforms and Data-Driven Selection
After the Tokyo 2020 debacle, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) overhauled governance:
- bonus points were removed
- trials became more rigorous
- selections were based on cold, data-backed metrics
- the role of a High-Performance Director (HPD) brought structure and accountability
This created an internal ecosystem where depth, not reputation, determined selection directly contributing to medals.
Elite Coaching: India’s Own Experts Take Over
The coaching landscape also shifted, with former champions stepping into leadership roles:
- Jaspal Rana – High Performance Coach, 25m pistol
- Jitu Rai – National Coach, 10m Air Pistol
- Deepali Deshpande – Head Coach, Rifle
- Samaresh Jung – Head Coach, Pistol
This marked a turning point Indian shooters were now mentored by legends who understood the cultural and technical nuances of the sport.
Youth Pathways and Bench Strength
Success from juniors to seniors is now seamless. Athletes like Rudrankksh, Esha, Rana, and Tomar won medals at youth levels before dominating the senior circuit. The result: India has multiple medal contenders per event, unmatched in shooting history.
The numbers tell the story:
- 27 medals at 2018 Worlds & 38 medals at 2022 Worlds
- India’s biggest-ever Olympic shooting squad in Paris 2024
- Three Olympic bronzes after a 16-year drought
- Historic world titles across Rifle, Pistol, Mixed Team
Indian shooting’s golden period is not defined by one Bindra or one Manu Bhaker or one Samrat Rana. It is defined by a system that keeps producing them. A system built on funding, data, competition, coaching, and ruthless internal standards.
From Cairo 2006 to Cairo 2025, the journey has come full circle. And the best part?
The next wave is already lining up behind the current champions.
