Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday attended the 75th anniversary celebrations of the National Rifle Association of India, where a nationwide grassroots programme to introduce 7.5 lakh school and college students to shooting and a new athlete management app were launched.
The programme, built around a practical “10-shot experience”, aims to familiarise 7.5 lakh young participants with the sport ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. It will be implemented across states and districts in partnership with institutions including the Central Board of Secondary Education, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, universities, school boards and state associations, with a focus on talent identification and grassroots participation.
The event also saw the launch of the NRAI Athlete App, described as a digital platform for athlete management that will support onboarding and registration under the grassroots initiative, issue certificates, maintain records and track the performances of Indian and international shooters. NRAI said the platform makes it India’s first fully digital sports federation.
A commemorative logo marking 75 years of the federation was also unveiled at the event, which also served to build momentum around the upcoming Shooting League of India, India’s proposed franchise-based professional shooting league.
Addressing the gathering, Mandaviya said initiatives such as the Athlete App, the grassroots outreach and the Shooting League of India reflected long-term planning for the sport and would help strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem.
NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo said the federation’s focus was on making shooting more accessible and aspirational, while secretary general Pawankumar Singh said the year-long anniversary programme reflected ambitions to build stronger pathways for talent development and fan engagement.
Among athletes present was two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, who said expanding access to the sport at the grassroots would help strengthen India’s talent pipeline.
The event also featured a teaser for the Shooting League of India, highlighting the proposed team-based franchise structure aimed at making the sport more engaging and broadening its audience.
NRAI officials said the anniversary celebrations look both at the federation’s legacy and its future plans, with a renewed push toward expanding the reach and visibility of shooting in India.
