The big bang theory: A dive into the success story of shooting in India

Shooting in India has evolved from a royal pastime to a mainstream passion. From young athletes to adults, many are taking up the sport

From a sport once reserved for (mostly male) royalty, shooting has undergone a remarkable transformation in India. At the recently concluded Paris Olympics, Manu Bhaker etched her name in history as the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at the same edition of the Olympics (in the women’s 10m air pistol event and in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh). Swapnil Kusale, who works as a ticket collector for the Indian Railways in Pune, won bronze in men’s 50m rifle three positions. .

The success of Indian shooters in Paris seems to have inspired many individuals, from young athletes to adults seeking a new hobby, to take up the sport. Shooting academies and clubs have witnessed a surge in enrolments, and the demand for training facilities and equipment has increased.

“Before the Olympics, we were receiving inquiries from roughly two people per day. However, since the games, that number has soared to 12,” says Nikhil Sonje, the pistol coach at Bengaluru’s Ziel Shooting Academy in HSR Layout. “With the abundance of startups in the area, there’s a growing demand for new hobbies. Previously, we’d see around six or seven casual shooters on weekends. Now, that figure has increased to an average of 25 people.”

While the Paris Games marked the end of a 12-year Olympic medal drought for Indian shooters, India’s shooting prowess has been steadily rising for some time. India’s inaugural individual Olympic silver medal (through Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in 2004) and the gold medal (through Abhinav Bindra in 2008) were both achieved in shooting. When considering major international tournaments, including the Olympics, World Championships, World Cup Finals, World Cups, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, the total number of medals won by Indian shooters surpasses 400. Arguably, no other Olympic sport has brought as many international accolades to India.

Olympian and Arjuna Awardee shooter Joydeep Karmakar recalls a time when the sport was a niche activity, often associated with the elite. “When I started in 1989, people frequently mistook shooting for filmmaking,” he says, “There was so little awareness about the sport.”

A turning point came with Rajyavardhan’s silver medal in 2004, which sparked interest in trap and skeet shooting. However, it was Abhinav’s historic gold medal in 2008 that truly catapulted shooting into the national consciousness. Suddenly, everyone knew about air rifle shooting, an indoor sport.

The 2012 Olympics further solidified shooting’s popularity. Vijay Kumar’s silver medal, Gagan Narang’s bronze, and Joydeep’s near-miss sparked a nationwide surge in interest. New clubs and academies emerged, and shooting transitioned from a fringe sport to a mainstream one.