India’s Medal Conversion in Shooting on the Rise, Says NRAI Chief Kalikesh Singh Deo

Dehradun, June 25 : National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo has expressed optimism about India’s growing prowess in international shooting competitions, citing an encouraging rise in the conversion rate of final qualifications into medals across global tournaments.

In an exclusive interview during his visit to oversee the Selection Trials 3 (Group A) for Rifle and Pistol in Dehradun, Singh Deo said, “Our problem was never reaching the finals—it was converting those chances into medals. But if you look at our performance in the World Cups, Asian Games, Olympics, and World Championships, our medal conversion rate has now reached nearly 50%.”

Referring to India’s shooting squad at the Paris Olympics, Singh Deo pointed out that the 22-member team secured three medals, along with three fourth-place finishes, one fifth, and one sixth. “The conversion from quota places to finals is around 50%, and from finals to medals is also nearly 50%. We now aim to push this up to 60–70%,” he said.

Singh Deo credited this improvement to the focused efforts of NRAI’s High Performance Team, led by Director Dr. Pierre Beauchamp, who has introduced structured and detailed training modules specifically targeting final-match performance. “Their work is helping shooters stay mentally sharp when it matters most,” he noted.

One of the standout performers, according to Singh Deo, is 19-year-old Suruchi Singh, who clinched three consecutive gold medals in the 10-metre air rifle category at ISSF World Cups in Argentina, Peru, and Germany. He praised her calm temperament, saying, “She is stoic in both victory and defeat. That mental strength is rare and makes her a special talent. She’s mature beyond her years.”

Highlighting the sport’s rapid growth in India, Singh Deo revealed that the NRAI now has over 95,000 registered shooters and 17,000 certified ranges. The National Championships alone see 15,000 participants annually, indicating a surge in grassroots engagement.

“We’ve also trained over 1,000 NRAI and ISSF-certified coaches in the last two years to maintain high standards across ranges,” he said, adding that a new shooting league is in the pipeline to boost visibility and popularity.

Looking ahead, Singh Deo emphasized the need for greater international exposure for domestic athletes. “We aim to host at least two major international events every year. After organizing the World Cup Final last year, we’ll host the Junior World Cup in Delhi and the SLI and Asian Shooting Championship in February.”

The NRAI is also preparing for upcoming World Cup Quota Competitions and World Championships, all of which will serve as critical preparation for the next Olympic cycle.

“With our athletes gaining confidence and access to world-class facilities and competitions, India is poised for sustained success in shooting sports on the global stage,” Singh Deo concluded.