New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) The first edition of the Shooting League of India is all set to kick off this year in New Delhi. Aiming to help push shooting as a sport further into the Indian and global mainstream and provide increased exposure to the shooters, the buzz surrounding the tournament is starting to spread among the athletes, with more than 400 athletes from within India, and around the world having registered to partake in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

The prominent Indian shooter Varun Tomar, who won a gold medal at the 2022 ISSF World Cup in Cairo, poised to be one of the flagship players in the tournament expressed his excitement for the launch. Considered one of the best young shooters in the country, he is most prominently known for his role in helping secure India a quota in the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning a gold medal in the 10m air pistol event at the Asian Olympics Qualifiers in Jakarta.

The shooter praised the increased exposure the Shooting League of India would bring to shooters. “People would come to know us, and our personalities better, like we have seen with athletes from other sports like Neeraj Chopra, people would come to understand shooters more deeply,” he said.

He also expressed his joy in playing in front of an Indian crowd, stating, “Playing in front of an Indian crowd, in front of my own people, brings in a different kind of feeling for me, it requires a different mentality and mindset. There exists this added desire to do well in such an environment.”

When asked if playing in India would bring added pressure, he said, “Not pressure, but enthusiasm.”

The 21-year-old also hoped that the league would help expand the shooting community further, saying, “Shooting is a great sport. India as a whole has a great shooting programme now and people also enjoy following the sport and our success. The league will present a great opportunity for people to gain an even more understanding about the sport and will help in increasing its popularity. The more people participate, the more competition will increase within India.”

The 36-member Indian contingent recently delivered a successful performance at the 2025 ISSF World Cup in Munich, winning four medals – two gold and two bronze. India finished third in the overall medal tally, trailing only the People’s Republic of China and Norway.

He shed more light on the environment and reception towards the league among the shooting community. “The environment is quite nice, positive vibes are flowing around the camp right now. There is a good feeling and excitement as the World Cups will be followed by the league, where we get to prove ourselves further.”

He signed off by talking about how the league would bring about changes in the shooting culture, “We play many World Cups, World Championships, and Asian Championships, but the league will have a different format, different selection policies. It will be a unique experience, a unique feeling, so we are all looking forward to the challenge.”

–IANS

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