National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has indeed highlighted a significant improvement in India’s medal conversion rate in shooting.
He notes that if you look at India’s performance in World Cups, Asian Games, Olympics, and World Championships, the medal conversion rate from finalists has reached almost 50%, with a target to increase it to 60-70%.
Shri Singh Deo attributes this success to the NRAI’s high-performance team, led by Director Dr. Pierre Beauchamp.
Shri Singh Deo is actively focused on boosting athlete exposure and promoting the sport in India.
This aligns with the NRAI’s broader strategy of developing a strong pipeline of shooters for future international success.
The NRAI aims to host at least two major international shooting events every year to provide domestic competitors with more exposure to world-class competition on home soil.
This includes having hosted the World Cup final last year, and plans for the Junior World Cup in Delhi and the SLI (Shooting League of India) and Asian Shooting Championship in February (likely referring to Feb 2026, given the context of other news).
India has also been awarded the hosting rights for the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025 and the 2026 Asian Rifle/Pistol Cup.
A major initiative is the launch of the franchise-based Shooting League of India (SLI), scheduled from November 24 to December 7, 2025.
This league will feature mixed-team formats across all six Olympic disciplines (Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun) and aims to make the sport more audience and broadcast-friendly.
It will also offer international exposure as it will attract top shooters from around the world. The NRAI is also open to foreign entities buying stakes in the SLI.
The NRAI is working on a system to build two senior teams (A and B) in addition to a junior side for a more focused and result-oriented approach. This will ensure a larger pool of athletes gets international exposure while preventing burnout among elite athletes.
Even shooters who lose their national spots will be encouraged to attend national camps to receive guidance from national coaches.
Resuming a successful junior development program is part of the plan, with the idea of identifying and training young athletes (13-14 years old) for a seamless transition to the senior level.
NRAI President Shri Singh Deo was seen “initiating future top guns into the sport with a little help from @GhoshMehuli during the national selection trials at the Trishul range in Dehradun” highlights his hands-on approach and dedication to nurturing new talent at the fundamental level of the sport.
Future Top Guns like Animaya Narayan Singh Deo, Amaira Singh Deo are taking lot of interest in shooting.
Over 1,000 NRAI and ISSF-certified coaches have been trained in the last two years to ensure standardized, world-class training in new ranges.
The sport is witnessing rapid strides, with over 95,000 registered shooters and 17,000 registered ranges within the NRAI framework.
National Championships see around 15,000 participants annually, indicating significant grassroots engagement.
The NRAI is also actively working to make shooting more viewer-friendly through technology and social media engagement.