India’s junior shooters have come out all guns blazing at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025 in Suhl, Germany, with a string of standout performances that signal both depth and promise for the country’s shooting future.
With eight medals — 2 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze — India currently leads the medal tally, and what’s most impressive is the diversity in disciplines and talent.
New Medals: Vanitha Suresh & Mukesh Nelavalli Add Bronze to India’s Haul
India added its fifth and sixth medals on Friday, courtesy of Vanitha Suresh in the women’s 10m air rifle and Mukesh Nelavalli in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol.
- Vanitha Suresh, showing poise under pressure, clinched bronze in a fiercely contested final. She joined compatriots Shambhavi Kshirsagar and Ojasvi Thakur on the podium, marking a historic double podium finish for India in this event.
- Mukesh Nelavalli scored 22/30 in the final of the 25m rapid fire pistol, showing remarkable nerve by surviving two shoot-offs to secure the bronze. His qualification score of 573-17x placed him sixth, but his composure in the finals carried him to the podium.
These medals not only add to India’s total but also underscore the emerging prowess in pistol shooting, often overshadowed by the country’s air rifle dominance.
Golden Girl: Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar Leads a 1-2 Finish
The biggest moment of the day came in the women’s 10m air rifle, where Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar topped the field with a score of 253.0, narrowly edging past fellow Indian Ojasvi Thakur, who finished with 251.8.
Both shooters had an outstanding qualification as well:
- Ojasvi topped the chart with 633.2
- Shambhavi followed closely with 633.1
Their finals display was a masterclass in consistency and mental fortitude, with India finishing ahead of several seasoned junior shooters from Europe and Asia. Notably, Olympic champion Huang Yuting of China was fifth — a testament to the standard of this Indian pair.
Naraen Pranav Claims Bronze in Men’s 10m Air Rifle
Naraen Pranav added another bronze for India in the men’s 10m air rifle, finishing third after a commanding qualification performance of 632.1, which saw him top the charts. His medal was India’s fourth in air rifle and again demonstrated India’s strength in this discipline.
Unfortunately, fellow Indian shooters Abishek (626.6), Himanshu (625.8), Priyanshu (624.7), and Praneeth (626.1) could not make the final cut despite solid scores, a sign of how competitive the event was.
India’s Medal Tally So Far at Suhl:
- 🥇 2 Gold
- 🥈 3 Silver
- 🥉 3 Bronze
India’s Junior Program Showing Results
India’s shooting program has made a conscious push over the last decade to invest in youth and grassroots development, and the results in Suhl are clear. The combination of strong domestic competition, improved training infrastructure, and exposure to international events is finally creating a robust pipeline of talent.
The emergence of names like Shambhavi, Ojasvi, Naraen, and Mukesh reflects that Indian shooting isn’t just relying on its senior stars anymore. The baton is slowly, but surely, being passed on.
What’s Next?
With a few more events remaining in the ISSF Junior World Cup, India will look to extend its medal tally. The performances in Suhl are not just wins on the podium — they are strong indicators of what India could expect at future World Championships and perhaps even the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
As things stand, this has already been a breakthrough edition for Indian junior shooting. More importantly, it’s another reminder that when talent is matched with structured support, Indian athletes can compete — and win — at the very top.
Stay tuned. The Indian shooters are not done yet.