L-R: Arya Borse and Suruchi SIngh Inder in action in Buenos Aires World Cup (Image: ISSF)
A RevSportz Exclusive
After a successful ISSF World Cup campaign in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Indian shooting contingent now moves to the Peruvian capital, Lima, for the second phase of the 2025 World Cup.
India finished second in the medals tally, in Buenos Aires, with eight medals, including four golds. Experienced candidates like Vijayveer Sidhu and Sift Kaur Samra proved their mettle by winning individual gold medals in their respective events, along with Rudrankksh Patil and youngster Suruchi Singh Inder.
Suruchi Singh, along with Arya Borse, impressed as youngsters making a mark at the international level—both achieving podium finishes.
As the Peru phase of the World Cup starts on Sunday, April 13th, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president, Kalikesh Singh Deo, in an exclusive interaction with RevSportz, spoke about the team’s performance in Argentina, expectations for Peru, and the road ahead.
It was a strong start to the season for Indian shooters—especially with the Germany phase coming up in June, the World Championship in Cairo, in November, and the World Cup final in Doha, in December.
Kalikesh Singh Deo, currently in Peru, described the performance in Buenos Aires:
“We are extremely pleased with the performance of our shooters in Argentina. It was a strong showing across events, especially given the competitive field and the evolving formats. This performance gives us a solid foundation for the year ahead, especially as we approach qualification events for quotas and begin building towards LA28. The consistency, composure, and depth of our team are becoming increasingly evident.”
Vijayveer Sidhu in action during the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol final in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Image: NRAI)
Borse and Suruchi, both debutants at an ISSF World Cup, stood out. Borse, the 22-year-old, won a silver medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Rudrankksh, while Suruchi bagged two medals—an individual gold in the 10m air pistol and a bronze in the mixed team event with Saurabh Chaudhary.
“The emergence of young talents like Arya and Suruchi is one of the most heartening aspects of this tour. Both have shown remarkable maturity for their age—not just in their technical execution but in their temperament under pressure. Their strong performance in domestic trials and now on the international stage reflects the robustness of our junior development programme. They’re pushing the seniors and raising the overall bar.”
Focus was also on Saurabh, one of India’s top contenders at Tokyo 2020. After failing to make a mark in Tokyo, followed by a prolonged phase of inconsistency, he ultimately didn’t make the cut for Paris 2024. However, after a strong performance at the national team trials in New Delhi, Chaudhary carried that form into Argentina and returned to the podium—clinching a bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Suruchi.
“Saurabh’s return to the podium is a welcome sight. He’s one of the most naturally gifted shooters we’ve produced, and it’s great to see him rediscover rhythm and confidence. His journey has had its ups and downs, but this performance shows he’s back in the mix—and, more importantly, hungrier than ever.”
Suruchi Singh Inder and Saurabh Chaudhary in the 10m Air Pistol Final (Image: ISSF)
Though expectations were high for Manu Bhaker, Paris Olympics double medallist, she had to leave Argentina empty-handed. Manu, who won a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol at Paris 2024, didn’t make it to the final round in Argentina, finishing 13th in the qualifiers. In her flagship event, the 25m air pistol, she settled for a sixth-place finish in the final. In the 10m air pistol mixed team event, paired with Ravinder Singh, they finished fourth—just missing the medal round.
“Manu remains one of our most experienced and dependable athletes. Not every event yields a medal, especially as she’s finding her rhythm again post-Paris. However, she continues to demonstrate grit and leadership. Her presence is invaluable in guiding younger athletes, and I have no doubt she’ll bounce back strongly. It’s all part of an athlete’s journey—peaks and valleys.”
Manu Bhaker in action in Argentina (Image: ISSF)
It’s worth noting that some of the Paris Olympics medallists or participants either opted out or didn’t qualify for the national team criteria during the Trials held in New Delhi. Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, to name a few. Meanwhile, youngsters like Borse and Suruchi have left a strong impression. There is healthy competition in the national team circuit.
“We intentionally avoid direct comparisons, but the competitive churn within the team is a healthy sign. When Olympic medallists or participants are being challenged by teenagers, it speaks volumes about the depth and vitality of Indian shooting. It also creates a high-performance environment where every athlete knows they must be at their best—always.”
A few days ago, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the final programme for Los Angeles 2028. A notable change in the shooting events is that the 50m 3 Position Final will now include only the Standing round. The qualification round will still include kneeling, prone, and standing.
Sift Kaur, a top contender and Asian Games gold medallist in this event—who also won gold in the Argentina World Cup—has her strongest suit in the Standing position. Anyone who has followed Sift closely would know she starts a bit slow and accelerates during the Standing round. The same happened in Buenos Aires—she was eighth going into the Standing round and ended up winning gold. Will this decision by the IOC be a welcome move for the Indian shooter?
“It’s an interesting development. Sift has shown exceptional strength in the Standing position, and this format change could play to her advantage. But more importantly, she is a thinking athlete—adaptable and driven. While the format may favour her style, it also places more emphasis on focused training and mental resilience, areas in which she excels. Following her strong performance in Argentina, we have high hopes for her and others.”
Sift Kaur Samra in Argentina (Image: ISSF)
Now, as the Indian team prepares for the Lima World Cup, expectations are high for the shooters to better their records from Argentina.
“We go into Lima with optimism. While it’s difficult to put an exact number, we expect a continuation of the strong performance we saw in Argentina. More than the medal tally, we’re looking to see progression in form, exposure for our young shooters, and consolidation for our core team. The Lima phase will be critical for fine-tuning strategies and identifying areas for improvement ahead of the next Olympic stretch.”
The Indian contingent in Argentina with Kalikesh Singh Deo in the middle
