The number of Indian teenagers winning medals at the big stage has gone up exponentially
Asian Games gold medallist Jitu Rai has been recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for his exploits in pistol shooting in the last two years although he couldn't win a medal in the Rio Olympics. "Yes, we have recommended Jitu's name for Khel Ratna award," National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary Rajiv Bhatia said. NRAI has also recommended woman rifle shooter Apurvi Chanela and men rifle shooters Gurpreet Singh and PN Prakash for the Arjuna Awards, according to Bhatia.
Indian shooters, led by the mercurial Gagan Narang, experienced more highs than lows in a year that saw them clinch a record 30 medals in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. A measly haul of eight medals in the Asian Games in Guangzhou following the high at home was the only blip in an otherwise satisfactory year.
Home Minister Amit Shah has asserted India's readiness to host the 2036 Olympics at the closing ceremony of the 38th National Games in Haldwani.
India's inspirational para-athletes achieved their stated goal of 25 medals and remained on course for more in Paris on Thursday.
India now have three gold, three silver and three bronze medals after four days of competition.
Bhaker said that her break from the shooting after Olympics was pre-decided by her and her coach Jaspal Rana.
Sania Mirza, the tennis icon, made a dazzling entry at the fifth Indian Sports Honours event, donning a stunning floral blazer suit.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has received a request from the chief coaches in rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines to organise a one-month camp for the Olympic core group to ensure better preparation.
Bindra said that the official team manager left the athletes "to fend for themselves".
Three years ago, India returned from Tokyo with seven medals, and it is only natural that a double-digit performance is now desired in Paris.
Indian shooters ended their Olympic campaign on a dismal note as medal contender Gagan Narang and Sanjeev Rajput crashed out of men's 50m rifle 3 positions event in the qualifying stage, while Manavjit Singh Sandhu also failed enter the final in the men's trap on Monday.
The national shooting federation, on Tuesday, named a five-member squad for the quadrennial Games, to be held from July 26 to August 11.
Olympic trials: TTFI seeks MEA's help in getting visa for para contingent.
Indian athletes, including the boxers and shooters, hit the ground running as they started their pre-Olympic training, hoping to live up to massive expectations in the pandemic-hit Games in Tokyo.
India's Prakash Nanjappa has earned a quota place for the 2016 Rio Olympics after finishing eighth in the finals of 50-metre men's pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Gabala, Azerbaijan.
The Prime Minister termed the athletes as "India's soldiers of 2036 Olympics".
Rana hardly minced words as he questioned the federation's tendency to make last-minute changes to its policy, and its stubborn refusal to acknowledge or facilitate the presence of shooters' personal coaches at national camps and trials.
India's medal tally at the ongoing Paralympics has gone up to 27, with six gold medals, nine silver medals, and 12 bronze medals.
The 32-year-old Narang topped the list with 971 points ahead of Shengbo Zhao of China, who has 896 points.
They may have been hitting the bulls eyes often in recent years but Indian shooters will still have their task cut out when they take to the range for the 51st World Championships starting in Granada, Spain on Monday, eyeing as many Olympic quotas as possible.
The 20-year-old Rhythm, who hails from Haryana and was a part of the team that won the 25m sports pistol gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year along with Esha and Manu Bhaker, shot 28 in the final to settle for bronze.
Following is India's schedule on Friday, Day 2 of the Paris Paralympics: (All timings in IST):
Jaspal Rana's contribution towards Manu Bhaker's remarkable transformation into a double Olympics medallist will not go unnoticed. The national shooting federation is mulling bringing the Dronacharya awardee coach back into its fold.
Men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet, under whose leadership India won a second successive bronze medal at the Olympics, said the honour is a recognition of his "fascinating" journey in which he still has plenty more to achieve.
Manu Bhaker is on a three-month break from shooting following her triumphant campaign at the Paris Games.
'Mood is upbeat as first teams arrive in the Olympic Village,' says India's Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang
Pistol shooter Rahul Jakhar held his nerves to emerge victorious in a shoot-off as India opened their campaign at the 2022 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup on a resounding note by clinching three medals, in Changwon, South Korea, on Thursday.
The new deadline for Tokyo 2020 Qualification in shooting is June 6, 2021, according to the ISSF.
The absence of central points for athletes at the domestic terminal of the Delhi airport was the reason for Indian shooting contingent being stranded for hours, on their arrival in New Delhi from Pune.
The duo of Sheoran and Tomar combined with Swapnil Kusale to also win the team gold medal in the same event ahead of Chinese and South Korean teams.
Shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history on Monday as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event in Tokyo.
Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic claimed the first gold medal of the 29th Olympic Games on Saturday with a convincing victory in the women's 10m air rifle event.
Ankur Mittal added to the Indian shooting contingent's medal rush by winning a bronze in the men's double trap event of the 21st Commonwealth Games, in Brisbane, on Wednesday.
A source said two among the three shooters are from the Indian contingent.
A summary of India's athletes' showing at the Paris Paralympics on Tuesday.
Indian shooters had one of their best days in the 10th Asian Shooting Championships.
2008 Olympic gold medallist shooter, Abhinav Bindra took to his official X handle and thanked Neeraj for inspiring every Indian to dream big.
Top Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput, on Sunday, found his rifle broken while flying back home after participating in the ISSF World Cup final in Poland.
Two men arrested for firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai had conducted a survey of his farm house at Panvel in adjoining Raigad district four days before the shooting incident, police said on Thursday.
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