India’s rifle-and-pistol-shooting contingent is all set to begin its campaign at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Championship Rifle/Pistol in Cairo, Egypt, starting Friday, November 7. The squad comprises 40 athletes competing across various events in both disciplines. This tournament marks the second-last event on the 2025 calendar, with only the ISSF Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun World Cup Final remaining, scheduled for December 4–9 in Doha, Qatar.
The 2025 season has been a stellar one for Indian shooters, beginning with the ISSF World Cup’s South American legs in Buenos Aires and Lima, followed by stops in Nicosia, Munich, Lonato, and Ningbo. So far, India trails only China in the overall standings, holding second place with an impressive 42 medals — 17 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze.
In addition to the senior stars, several emerging names such as Suruchi Singh Inder, Arya Bhorse, and Simranpreet Kaur have delivered strong performances throughout the season. At the 2025 Asian Shooting Championship held in August in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, India registered its best-ever performance, winning 31 medals — including 14 golds — and finishing second behind China, which claimed 15 golds.
Zoravar Singh Sandhu, 48, made headlines in the ISSF Shotgun World Championships that took place in Athens, Greece, in October, winning bronze in the men’s trap with 31 points. It was India’s 3rd shotgun World Championships medal, after Dr. Karni Singh’s silver in 1962 Cairo, and Manavjeet Singh Sandhu’s gold in 2006 Zagreb.
Overall, the season’s results have fuelled optimism for another strong showing by the Indian team as they head into the World Championship in the Egyptian capital.
The contingent features a fine mix of experience and youth. Paris Olympics double medallist Manu Bhaker will compete in the women’s 10m and 25m air pistol events, alongside Asian Games gold medallist Esha Singh. Manu, who has had a somewhat subdued run in recent months, will aim to regain her rhythm with the Commonwealth and Asian Games approaching next year. Suruchi will also be competing alongside Bhaker in the 10m air pistol event.
Paris Olympics bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale returns to action in the men’s 50m 3P after skipping the Asian Championship. Meanwhile, Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, who clinched the 10m air rifle gold in the previous Cairo World Championship in 2022 and repeated his success at the 2023 Cairo World Cup in both individual and team events, will look to extend his winning streak in familiar territory.
Attention will also be on senior shooters Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Sift Kaur Samra, both gold medallists in the 50m 3P events at the Asian Championship. Elavenil Valarivan, fresh off her gold in the women’s 10m air rifle event in Kazakhstan, will also be one to watch as preparations build toward the major championships in 2026. She will be joined by Arjun Babuta in the men’s 10m air rifle, with the two pairing up for the mixed team event.
Other notable names include Anjum Moudgil in the women’s 50m 3P, Akhil Sheoran and Chain Singh in the men’s 50m rifle prone, and Varun Tomar, who will be a strong contender in the men’s 10m air pistol.
The championship will be streamed live on the ISSF YouTube channel, with the main competition rounds starting on November 8, following the opening ceremony on November 7.
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