Maharashtra to host inaugural Shooting League from April 17-19 in Pune

Maharashtra is set to witness a landmark moment in Indian shooting with the inaugural Shooting League of Maharashtra (SLM), scheduled to take place from April 17-19 at the Chhatraguj Nurses School, Pune. Organised by the Maharashtra Rifle Association (MRA), the league represents a key step in the structured rollout of the Shooting League of India (SLI) ecosystem at the state level, according to a release.

Following the successful introduction of the Shooting League of Karnataka recently, the Maharashtra edition marks the next phase in a calibrated, pan-India approach to building a competitive league framework for the sport.

The introduction of state-level leagues is central to the long-term vision of the Shooting League of India–not only to strengthen the competitive pathway and deepen the talent pool, but also to expand the sport’s visibility and build a stronger fan base by making shooting more accessible, engaging, and relatable to a wider audience.

New Competitive Framework and Format

In a first for the sport in Maharashtra, the SLM will feature a team-based format with 18 district teams competing across 10m rifle and pistol categories. A total of 144 athletes will represent their districts, bringing regional identity and local pride into a structured league format aligned with SLI’s competition philosophy.

The league will adopt a shorter, dynamic match format, consistent with the SLI blueprint, designed to enhance spectator engagement and make the sport easier to follow, while maintaining high-performance standards.

Guidance from India’s Elite

The inaugural edition will also see the involvement of some of India’s most accomplished names in shooting. Olympians and elite Coaches such as Rahi Sarnobat, Anjali Bhagwat, Suma Shirur, Deepali Deshpande, Tejaswini Sawant, Rudranksh Patil, along with Coach Ronak Pandit, will be present as mentors–contributing their expertise to support athlete development within the league structure.

Inclusive Vision for a Broader Base

Reflecting the sport’s merit-driven nature, the SLM will follow an inclusive format with no gender-based restrictions, allowing mixed teams and reinforcing equal opportunity in competition.

With participation from districts across Maharashtra, the league is designed to strengthen the competitive base of the sport while also creating a more visible and engaging platform that connects athletes with fans–an important pillar of the broader Shooting League of India vision.

As the Maharashtra Rifle Association builds on the momentum generated by earlier state initiatives, the Shooting League of Maharashtra marks a significant step forward in operationalising the SLI vision–creating a unified structure that connects grassroots participation, fan engagement, and elite competition within a single ecosystem.

Teams & Shooters – Shooting League of Maharashtra 2026

Sobo Giants (Mumbai City)

Rifle: Bhakti Khamkar, Aditi Singh, Shriya Gole, Sara Wadke Pistol: Jaj Mandal, Het Patel, Prajna Kesarkar, Gazhla Naushad

Western Rangers (Mumbai Suburban)

Rifle: Nimesh Jadhav, Anshika Singh, Kaustubh Patil, Darshan Lohima Pistol: Yash Jawalkar, Geeta Mhaske, Anagh Ghosh, Niara Kedar

Rokhthok Thane (Thane)

Rifle: Arikta Singh, Swati Baudh, Dhruv Kinalekar, Dhairyashil Patil Pistol: Pravin Mishra, Siddhesh Thorat, Toshali Bhuta, Veyanka Daga

Aamhi Punekar (Pune)

Rifle: Medhavi Kudale, Sakshi Padeka, Simra Khan, Suhas Kumbhar Pistol: Prathmesh Kadam, Rajlaxmi Gore, Chetan Sapkal, Tejas Waghere

Rajdhani Satara (Satara)

Rifle: Asawari Melavane, Viraj Patil, Anushka Mangrule, Ritul Kundle Pistol: Shubham Kshirsagar, Janhavi Deshmukh, Sheetal Desai, Aditi Jadhav

Kolhapur Bisons (Kolhapur)

Rifle: Samiksha Patil, Sumedh Sasane, Atharva Patil, Dnyaneshwari Patil Pistol: Anurag Chougale, Pranjali Dhumal, Tejas Dhere, Abhidnya Patil

Raigad Warriors (Raigad)

Rifle: Parth Mane, Isha Taksale, Rahul Sharma, Divya Dhumal Pistol: Santosh Sawant, Janvi Manatkar, Sameedha Chavan, Priyanka Susvirkar

Sangli Alpha Lions (Sangli)

Rifle: Aditi Hadagal, Pratik Jong, Swara Magdum, Alphia Attar Pistol: Pranav Patil, Naeem Nardekar, Vaishnavi Raje, Viren Girigosavi

Nashik Nem-Baz (Nashik)

Rifle: Amruta Patil, Radhesh Pardeshi, Soha Inamdar, Komal Sahane Pistol: Suraj Datir, Radhika Mahale, Shraddha Jagtap, Sairaj Kankate

Golden Finger (Palghar)

Rifle: Mayuri Pawar, Aditri Bhatt, Gayatri Pedde, Arnav Parab Pistol: Vijay Satote, Shreem Pasad, Raajwardhan Patil, Nirbhai Girse

Solapuri Bramhasra (Solapur)

Rifle: Shraddha Divate, Kiran Rajmane, Payal Nandugade, Jagruti Chakote Pistol: Vaishnavi Tingare, Prathamesh Bansode, Yashraj Gujare, Vaishnavi Khatavkar

Ahilyanagar Lakshveer (Ahilyanagar)

Rifle: Abhishek Kamthe, Anvita Jadhav, Saumya Khedkar, Sneha Jangale Pistol: Rohit Wagh, Swamini Jejurkar, Rohit Wagh, Raunak Tokshiya

(Aurangabad Team – TBC)

Rifle: Rohan Jadhav, Parth Kulkarni, Dhanvi Sawaiwala, Radhika Sonwane Pistol: Krushnali Rajput, Shraddha Tale, Omkar Chavan, Harshvardhan Sirsath

Amravati Dhurandhar (Amravati)

Rifle: Ansh Kature, Shravani Shrirav, Savi Gulhane, Yash Veni Pistol: Tiya Loya, Harsh Bakal, Alvin Manu, Tanishka Deshmukh

Wardha Warriors (Wardha)

Rifle: Shawari Pakhale, Gauri Mane, Aishwarya Powar, Vinit Ghugal Pistol: Urja Kalekar, Shantanu Bhosale, Kasturi Gore, Atharva Pawade

Chandrapur Diamonds (Chandrapur)

Rifle: Prerana Morey, Avantika Shelke, Vedanti Bhatt, Krishna Shelke Pistol: Tosif Sayyed, Juily Dhapodkar, Gaurav Zende, Mahesh Ghadge

Nagpur Tigers (Nagpur)

Rifle: Samiksha Narsingkar, Kaiwalya Lande, Dharini Borade, Heemanshu Gabhane Pistol: Abhay Dhamale, Prerna Yadav, Parmesha Zade, Adnan Ali

Ratnagiri Shiledar (Ratnagiri)

Rifle: Yashika Shinde, Harsh Bagave, Nirzara Patil, Lakshya Indurkar Pistol: Swayam Desai, Rakesh Kadam, Sairaj Kate, Riya Kadam.

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