After a thrilling stretch of World Cup action in South America this April, the spotlight now turns to Suhl, Germany, where the ISSF Junior World Cup is set to kick off on May 19.
India is sending a strong 57-member contingent to participate in the event. The young shooters will represent the country in rifle, pistol, and shotgun categories.
Pistol events
The 10m air pistol team features a mix of rising stars and already established names in the junior shooting circuit.
Shubham Bisla is one of the standout names in this lineup. His strong track record in domestic ranking events and steady progress through the junior circuit has placed him among the top pistol prospects in the country.
He has won gold in the 10m Air Pistol at the Junior World Championships in Changwon 2023. Anshul has emerged as a consistent performer at national-level junior competitions.
He has frequently featured in podium finishes and finals at the Khelo India Youth Games and national trials.
Other entries include: Daksh Choudhary, Chirag Sharma and Pushpender Singh.
Sanskriti Bana has consistently delivered strong performances at the Khelo India Youth Games, national trials, and international junior events.
Urva Choudhary, Kanak, Prachi and Rashmika Sahgal are the other shooters participating in the 10m Air Pistol Jr. Women.
In the 25m Air Pistol category, Naamya Kapoor, a star in making, already grabbed headlines after winning gold at the ISSF Junior World Championships in Lima in 2021 at just 14 years old.
She’s one of India’s brightest young pistol shooters and a serious contender for podium finishes in Suhl. She will be joined by Divanshi, Tejaswini and Riya Thatte in this category.
Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol will see Sagnik Banerjee, Abhinav Choudhary, Tanishq Kodavali Sameeer and Mukesh Nelavalli.
Rifle events
10m Air Rifle Men’s category features Himanshu, Priyanshu Kumar, Abhishek Sekhar, Vanitha Suresh Naraen Pranav and Bhanu Praneeth Vejendla while the 10m Air Rifle
Women’s Category features Kyathy Choudhary Shambhavi Kshirsagar , Mayuri Pawar, Isha Taksale and Ojasvi Thakur.
50m 3 Positions Men’s Category includes Adriyan Karmakar, a highly promising shooter and a consistent performer in junior and youth categories. He is expected to lead the charge
for India in this event. Other shooters in this category include Harshvardhan Naruka, Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, Rohit Kanyan and Vedant Nitin Waghmare.
The Women’s 50m 3 Position Category has Anushka Thokur in the lineup, making her mark in various Khelo India and national-level events. She’s known for her consistency and is considered a promising talent who could soon break into the senior squad if she maintains her form.
Melvina Joel Gladson, Prachi Gaikwad, Saniya Sapale and Mahit Sandhu are also a part of this category.
Shotgun Events
This category includes a star-studded lineup along with promising shooters.
In the women’s category, Raiza Dhillon will be seen in action. Raiza’s international accolades include a gold medal in the women’s skeet team event at the 2021 World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, and a silver medal in the individual skeet event at the 2023
World Championships in Changwon, Korea. Yashasvi Rathore has showcased her talent on the international stage with commendable performances.
At the 2024 FISU World University Championship Shooting, she clinched two bronze medals, demonstrating her prowess in women’s skeet shooting. Vanshika Tiwari and Mohika Sisiodiya are a part of this category.
Zorawar Singh Bedi has been a consistent performer in the junior men’s skeet category. He clinched a silver medal in men’s skeet with a remarkable score of 119/125 at the Khelo India Youth Games, showcasing his potential on the national stage.
- Ishaan Singh Libra has made a mark in the junior men’s skeet category with his recent achievements. He clinched the gold medal at the 67th National Shooting Championship, narrowly defeating national champion Bhavtegh Gill in a shoot-off.
Harmehar Singh Lally has demonstrated his capabilities in both individual and team events. Notably, he secured a silver medal in the skeet mixed team event at the ISSF Junior World Championships in Changwon.
Atul Singh Rajawat and Jyotiraditya Singh Sisodiya are the other entrants in this category.
In the Women’s Trap Category, the potential medal contenders are Sabeera Haris, Bhavya Tripathi and Shreshtha Sisodiya. Recently, Sabeera partnered with Olympian Kynan Chenai to win a bronze medal in the trap mixed team event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in May 2025.
Bhavya has demonstrated consistent excellence in trap shooting. She defended her women’s trap national crown at the 67th National Shooting Championship in January 2025, reaffirming her dominance in the discipline.
Similarly, Shreshtha clinched the junior women’s trap title at the 67th National Shooting Championship. Nilaa Rajaa Baalu and Anthra Rajsekar are the other young shooters looking to make their mark at this junior world cup.
The Men’s Trap campaign will be spearheaded by Vinay Pratap Singh Chandrawat and Zuhair Khan.
Vinay clinched the gold medal in the junior men’s double trap at the ISSF Junior World Championship 2021 with a total of 120 hits.
He continued his impressive form by defeating national champion Shardul Vihan to win the junior men’s trap title at the 67th National Shooting Championship in 2025.
Other entries in this category are: S.M Yugan and Arjun.
With talent, passion, and precision in their arsenal, here’s wishing India’s young shooters the very best of luck in Suhl—may their aim be true and their journey unforgettable!
