India’s shooters selected for the ISSF World Championship Doha 2026 commenced a preparatory camp at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi on October 22. The camp will unite athletes from rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines as the Indian team intensifies its training for the World Championship, scheduled in Doha, Qatar, from November 1 to 14.
The Indian team’s training programme in New Delhi is organised into phases according to disciplines. The 10m Rifle and Pistol athletes, alongside the Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol squad and Skeet athletes, will train from October 22 to 29. The 50m Rifle and Women’s 25m Pistol athletes will remain in camp until October 31, while the Trap team will train from October 28 to November 4, according to a press release from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
The 10m Air Rifle men’s group consists of Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, and Paarth Makhija. The women’s squad includes Shambhavi Kshirsagar, Sonam Uttam Maskar, and Elavenil Valarivan. In 10m Air Pistol, the men’s team features Ravin Kumar, Jaypal Malviya, and Kamaljeet, while Sainyam, Suruchi, and Manu Bhaker form the women’s team.
The Skeet men’s contingent comprises Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, and Anantjeet Singh Naruka, with the women’s group consisting of Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, and Raiza Dhillon. The 50m Rifle men’s team includes Niraj Kumar, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, and Akhil Sheoran. The women’s squad in this category is Vidarsa K Vinod, Ashi Chouksey, and Anjum Moudgil.
The 25m Rapid Fire Pistol men’s team comprises Suraj Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, and Bhavesh Shekhawat. The women’s group features Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Divya T.S. The Trap men’s squad, joining camp from October 28, consists of Zoravar Singh Sandhu, Vivaan Kapoor, and Udaiveer Singh Jaijee. The Trap women’s team includes Neeru, Manisha Keer, and Pragati Dubey.
Dr Pierre Beauchamp, High Performance Director of the NRAI, emphasised the importance of the camp, stating, “The preparatory camp in New Delhi is an important phase for our athletes as they fine-tune their performance ahead of the ISSF World Championship in Doha. Our focus is on working closely with the coaches to establish clear performance benchmarks for every athlete, aligned with what is required to qualify for the finals at the highest level of international competition.”
He added, “We will be closely tracking qualification-to-final conversion and podium conversion percentages, as these will be key indicators of our preparedness and competitiveness. With the Olympic qualification process for Los Angeles 2028 beginning at the World Championship, this camp will be crucial in ensuring that our athletes are technically, physically and mentally ready to deliver their best.”
This camp will serve as the final domestic preparation phase before the athletes travel to Doha for the World Championship, which will feature the world’s leading rifle, pistol, and shotgun athletes competing over two weeks. The event will also mark the commencement of the Olympic qualification process for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with 36 Olympic quota places to be allocated.
The full list of Indian athletes attending the preparatory camp in New Delhi is as follows:
- 10m Rifle Men: Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Paarth Makhija
- 10m Rifle Women: Shambhavi Kshirsagar, Sonam Uttam Maskar, Elavenil Valarivan
- 50m Rifle Men: Niraj Kumar, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Akhil Sheoran
- 50m Rifle Women: Vidarsa K Vinod, Ashi Chouksey, Anjum Moudgil
- 10m Pistol Men: Ravin Kumar, Jaypal Malviya, Kamaljeet
- 10m Pistol Women: Sainyam, Suruchi, Manu Bhaker
- 25m Pistol Men: Suraj Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, Bhavesh Shekhawat
- 25m Pistol Women: Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, Divya T.S.
- Skeet Men: Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Anantjeet Singh Naruka
- Skeet Women: Ganemat Sekhon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon
- Trap Men: Zoravar Singh Sandhu, Vivaan Kapoor, Udaiveer Singh Jaijee
- Trap Women: Neeru, Manisha Keer, Pragati Dubey
Mixed teams training include:
- Air Rifle Mixed Team: Parth Mane and Shambhavi Kshirsagar; Himanshu Dhillon and Sonam Uttam Maskar
- Air Pistol Mixed Team: Ravin Kumar and Saniyam; Jaypal Malviya and Suruchi
- Skeet Mixed Team: Mairaj Ahmad Khan and Raiza Dhillon; Bhavtegh Singh Gill and Ganemat Sekhon
- Trap Mixed Team: Zoravar Singh Sandhu and Neeru; Vivaan Kapoor and Manisha Keer