New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) unveiled the logo for the inaugural Shooting League of India (SLI) at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range on Thursday afternoon. Several Indian athletes at the Indian camp, gearing up for the 2025 ISSF World Cup in Munich, attended the unveiling and expressed their excitement for the inaugural edition of the league.

Along with Paris Olympic medallists Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, several top Indian stars, including Arjun Babuta, Sandeep Singh, Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita, Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil, Varun Tomar, Arjun Singh Cheema, Chain Singh, Kiran Ankush Jadhav, Ashi Chouksey, Shriyanka Sadangi, Suruchi, Palak, Simranpreet Kaur Brar, Akhil Sheoran, Sainyam, Nischal and Rahi Jeevan Sarnobat were present at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, the 50m rifle 3 positions world record holder Sift Kaur Samra said that the upcoming league is a major boost to the morale of the athletes, who will be competing in Munich between June 8 and June 15.

“We express our gratitude to NRAI for inviting us to be a part of the unveiling of the logo and allowing us to witness the start of this beautiful journey. We are seeing that the buzz around the sport of shooting in India is increasing further with the upcoming league, and it is a big boost to our morale ahead of the upcoming ISSF World Cup,” the 24-year-old said.

Crafted by the renowned sports media and marketing agency Sportwalk, the logo features a vibrant mix of colour to encapsulate the competitive nature of the sport and to symbolise the sport’s heritage.

The 2022 Asian Games medallist Ashi Chouksey further praised the dynamic nature of the logo and delved deeper into how the bold colours depict the strength of the Indian sporting community.

“All of us are delighted to see that the Shooting League of India is kicking off with this beautiful logo. The bold colours feel like they are a testament to the strength and nature of Indian sportspersons. It feels like a statement, and now it is up to us athletes to live up to the message being portrayed by this wonderful symbol,” Chouksey said.

Meanwhile, experienced rifle shooter Shriyanka Sadangi further said that the logo sends out the message that the national federation wishes to promote with the league. “With India’s success in the recent edition of the Olympic Games in Paris, there is a growing interest in the sport in the country and all around the world. The league can help add to this success and help in further advancing the global appeal of the sport. The logo has a similar universal appeal with familiar yet vibrant colours and patterns, thus helping its reach across the masses.”

The first season of the SLI will have a window between November 20 and December 2. The tournament will feature mixed team events in pistol (10m, 25m), rifle (10m, 50m 3 positions), and shotgun (Trap & Skeet), as decided by the NRAI Technical Committee.

A total of six to eight teams will feature in the competition and will be divided into two pools in the league stage. The selected players will be grouped into four tiers – Elite Champions, World Elite, National Champions, and Junior & Youth Championships – to provide a blend of experienced and emerging talents.

–IANS

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