TOISA 2025 Shooting Nominees: Celebrating India’s sharpshooters who excelled on the global stage | More sports News

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the inspiring journeys and achievements of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines. TOISA 2025 will recognise performances delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2025, highlighting standout displays at global championships and major international competitions. Featuring more than 45 award categories, the event honours both established stars and emerging talents who made the nation proud through exceptional performances.The winners will be selected by a distinguished jury comprising some of India’s most respected sporting icons, including Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, batting great Mithali Raj, Paralympic champion Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Sharath Kamal and tennis legend Leander Paes. Their collective expertise ensures a credible and balanced evaluation of excellence across Indian sport.The shooting nominees for TOISA 2025 reflect India’s remarkable depth in the sport, with several athletes delivering medal-winning performances on the global stage. Among the men, Samrat Rana created history with gold at the ISSF World Championships, while Ravinder Singh also emerged world champion in the 50m pistol. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Anish Bhanwala impressed with podium finishes at the World Championships and World Cup Final, while Varun Tomar and Rudrankksh Patil added key World Cup and championship medals.In the women’s category, teenage sensation Suruchi Inder Singh enjoyed a breakthrough year with multiple World Cup gold medals. Simranpreet Kaur struck gold at the ISSF World Cup Final, while Esha Singh showcased her versatility with medals across two pistol events. Elavenil Valarivan and Sift Kaur Samra also enjoyed outstanding seasons, while Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker maintained her consistency with multiple podium finishes across major competitions.SHOOTING – MALESamrat RanaDate of Birth: January 8, 2005Place of Birth: Karnal, HaryanaSport: Shooting (10m Air Pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Gold (Individual), Gold (Team) & Silver (Mixed Team)ISSF World Cup Final: Bronze (Individual)Young Samrat Rana created history last year by becoming the first world champion from India in his event, the 10m Air Pistol, marking a defining breakthrough in his career. The former junior world champion delivered a sensational performance at the ISSF World Championships 2025, where he emerged as one of the biggest stars of the tournament with a haul of three medals. Rana clinched the gold medal in the individual event and followed it up with another gold in the team competition. He also secured a silver medal in the mixed team event alongside Esha Singh.With this outstanding performance, Rana became only the third Indian shooting world champion, joining the elite list that includes Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and world champion Rudrankksh Patil. The 21-year-old continued to shine later in the season, adding a bronze medal at the Doha World Cup Final, ensuring that the year would go down as one of the most memorable and significant phases of his rapidly progressing shooting journey.Ravinder SinghDate of Birth: October 17, 1996Place of Birth: Bishnah, Jammu and KashmirSport: Shooting (50m Pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Gold (Individual), Silver (Team)Asian Championships: Silver (Team)Ravinder Singh, a 29-year-old Naik Subedar in the Indian Army, achieved the biggest success of his shooting career by winning gold in the 50m pistol, a non-Olympic discipline, at the ISSF World Championships in Cairo. Hailing from Bishnah in Jammu and Kashmir, he delivered a composed, high-quality performance to finish atop the podium against a strong international field. He also secured a team silver, capping a remarkable and highly successful year.Aishwary Pratap Singh TomarDate of Birth: February 3, 2001Place of Birth: Khargone, Madhya PradeshSport: Shooting (50m rifle 3 positions)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Silver (Individual)ISSF World Cup Final: Silver (Individual)Asian Championships: Gold (Individual), Silver (Team)Two-time Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar rounded off last year with podium finishes at the ISSF World Championships and the ISSF World Cup Final. The 50m rifle 3 positions specialist claimed individual silver in Cairo and followed it up with another silver in Doha. He also enjoyed success at the Asian Shooting Championships in Kazakhstan, where he secured individual gold and a team silver to complete an impressive season.Anish BhanwalaDate of Birth: September 26, 2002Place of Birth: Sonipat, HaryanaSport: Shooting (25m rapid fire pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Silver (Individual)ISSF World Cup Final: Silver (Individual)Asian Championships: Silver (Individual), Silver (Team)Young pistol shooter Anish Bhanwala won his career’s second medal at the ISSF World Championships last year, securing an individual silver in Cairo. He followed it up with another individual silver at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha. It turned out to be a rewarding year for the 23-year-old, who also claimed two silvers at the Asian Shooting Championships, one each in the individual and team events.Varun TomarDate of Birth: September 8, 2003Place of Birth: Baghpat, Uttar PradeshSport: Shooting (10m air pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Gold (Team), Bronze (Individual)Young pistol shooter Varun Tomar, who took up the sport inspired by his Olympian cousin Saurabh Chaudhary, won two medals at the ISSF World Championships. He secured bronze in the individual event, which was won by teammate Samrat Rana, and combined with Samrat and Sharvan Kumar to clinch team gold. He had also claimed team gold and individual bronze at the Junior World Championships three years earlier in 2022.Rudrankksh PatilDate of Birth: December 16, 2003Place of Birth: Thane, MaharashtraSport: Shooting (10m air rifle)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Cup Buenos Aires: Gold (Individual), Silver (Mixed Team)ISSF World Cup Lima: Silver (Mixed Team)Asian Championships: Gold (Team)Young 22-year-old rifle shooter Rudrankksh Patil enjoyed a highly successful 2025 season, winning multiple World Cup medals. He began the year with individual gold at the ISSF World Cup in Argentina and also secured a mixed team silver with Arya Borse at the same tournament. The pair went on to win another mixed team silver at the ISSF World Cup in Peru, taking his tally to three World Cup medals for the year. Patil also clinched a team gold at the Asian Shooting Championships in Kazakhstan, capping a fruitful and impressive season.SHOOTING – FEMALESuruchi Inder SinghDate of Birth: April 28, 2006Place of Birth: Jhajjar, HaryanaSport: Shooting (10m air pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Silver (Team)ISSF World Cup Final: Gold (Individual)ISSF World Cup Buenos Aires: Gold (Individual), Bronze (Mixed Team)ISSF World Cup Lima: Gold (Individual), Gold (Mixed Team)ISSF World Cup Munich: Gold (Individual)Asian Championships: Bronze (Team), Bronze (Mixed Team)2025 was a breakthrough year for teenage shooter Suruchi Singh. The 19-year-old rose to prominence after winning five gold medals across ISSF World Cup stages. She began with individual gold at the ISSF World Cup in Argentina, where she also claimed mixed team bronze. She followed it up with a double gold at the ISSF World Cup in Peru, winning the individual title and the mixed team gold with Saurabh Chaudhary. Suruchi then secured another individual gold at the ISSF World Cup in Germany before clinching her fifth gold at the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha. She also added a team silver at the ISSF World Championships and won two bronze medals at the Asian Championships, completing a remarkable season. Simranpreet KaurDate of Birth: October 2, 2004Place of Birth: Faridkot, PunjabSport: Shooting (25m pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Cup Final: Gold (Individual)ISSF World Cup Lima: Silver (Individual)Asian Championships: Bronze (Team)Young pistol shooter Simranpreet Kaur made 2025 a memorable year by winning gold at the prestigious ISSF World Cup Final in Doha. She clinched the title with a new junior world record score of 41 out of 50. Earlier in the season, she secured her first senior international medal — an individual silver at the ISSF World Cup in Peru. She also added a team bronze at the Asian Shooting Championships, capping off an impressive year.Esha SinghDate of Birth: January 1, 2005Place of Birth: Hyderabad, TelanganaSport: Shooting (10m air pistol, 25m pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Bronze (25m pistol – Individual), Silver (10m air pistol – Team), Silver (10m air pistol – Mixed Team)ISSF World Cup Buenos Aires: Silver (25m pistol – Individual)ISSF World Cup Ningbo: Gold (10m air pistol – Individual)Asian Championships: Bronze (25m pistol – Team)Young pistol shooter Esha Singh had a stunning 2025, winning multiple medals at major competitions in both her events — 10m air pistol and 25m pistol. The 21-year-old claimed three medals at the ISSF World Championships, securing individual bronze in 25m pistol and two silvers in 10m air pistol (team and mixed team), an outstanding feat for the youngster. She also won individual gold in 10m air pistol at the ISSF World Cup in China and an individual silver in 25m pistol at the ISSF World Cup in Argentina earlier in the season. She further added a team bronze in 25m pistol at the Asian Shooting Championships, making it a true breakthrough year marked by success across both disciplines.Elavenil ValarivanDate of Birth: August 2, 1999Place of Birth: Cuddalore, Tamil NaduSport: Shooting (10m air rifle)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Bronze (Individual), Bronze (Team)ISSF World Cup Munich: Bronze (Individual)Asian Championships: Gold (Individual), Gold (Mixed Team), Bronze (Team)Two-time Olympian Elavenil Valarivan won two bronze medals at the ISSF World Championships in Cairo, taking her overall tally at the event to three bronzes after her team podium finish in 2022. The rifle shooter also secured an individual bronze at the ISSF World Cup during the season. She enjoyed an outstanding continental campaign as well, winning two gold medals (individual and mixed team) and a team bronze at the Asian Shooting Championships in Kazakhstan, capping off a highly successful year.Sift Kaur SamraDate of Birth: September 9, 2001Place of Birth: Faridkot, PunjabSport: Shooting (50m rifle 3 positions)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Cup Buenos Aires: Gold (Individual)ISSF World Cup Munich: Bronze (Individual)Asian Championships: Gold (Individual), Gold (Team)Sift Kaur Samra has carved a name for herself in one of the toughest events in shooting sports — the 50m rifle 3 positions. She won her first individual gold at the ISSF World Cup last year, marking a major milestone in her career. She then added another individual World Cup medal, securing bronze at the ISSF World Cup in Germany. Sift also enjoyed a dominant run at the Asian Shooting Championships, clinching two gold medals with top-of-the-podium finishes in both the individual and team events in Kazakhstan.Manu BhakerDate of Birth: February 18, 2002Place of Birth: Goria, HaryanaSport: Shooting (10m air pistol, 25m pistol)Major Achievements in 2025:ISSF World Championships: Silver (10m air pistol – Team)ISSF World Cup Lima: Silver (10m air pistol – Individual)Asian Championships: Bronze (10m air pistol – Individual), Bronze (10m air pistol – Team), Bronze (25m pistol – Team)Manu Bhaker, a double medallist at the Paris Olympics, had a steady 2025 season even though gold at major events eluded her. She secured a team silver at the ISSF World Championships and followed it up with an individual silver at the ISSF World Cup. Manu also enjoyed success at the Asian Shooting Championships, winning three medals — an individual bronze and two team bronzes — to cap off a consistent year.