NRAI Marks 75 Years With Ambitious Grassroots Push and Digital Transformation for Indian Shooting

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) celebrated a landmark moment in Indian sport as it officially launched its 75th anniversary celebrations in New Delhi, unveiling an ambitious roadmap aimed at transforming the future of shooting in the country.

The grand event was attended by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, senior NRAI officials, coaches, and several current and former Indian shooters, including double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker. The celebrations also highlighted the federation’s long-term plans for grassroots expansion, digital integration, and the continued development of the upcoming Shooting League of India (SLI). At the centre of the announcement was NRAI’s bold initiative to introduce 7,50,000 school and college students to shooting before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics through a nationwide “10-shot experience” programme.

The initiative is expected to become one of the largest grassroots outreach programmes ever undertaken by an Indian sports federation. It aims to create awareness about shooting across schools, colleges, universities, and districts while simultaneously identifying young talent capable of representing India in the future.

The programme will be conducted in collaboration with organisations such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), universities, school boards, and state shooting associations.

Indian shooting has emerged as one of the country’s strongest Olympic disciplines over the last two decades, producing world champions, Olympic medallists, and consistent international performers. The NRAI now appears determined to convert that success into a deeper nationwide movement. The “10-shot experience” initiative is designed not only to expose students to the sport but also to make shooting appear more accessible and aspirational at the grassroots level. With shooting often perceived as a specialised or inaccessible sport, the federation hopes this project will widen participation significantly.

The initiative also aligns with India’s broader ambitions of becoming a global sporting power ahead of future Olympic cycles.

One of the biggest announcements during the event was the launch of the NRAI Athlete App, a comprehensive digital platform aimed at streamlining athlete management and federation operations. The app positions NRAI as India’s first fully digitised sports federation and is expected to serve as a one-stop ecosystem for athletes, administrators, and grassroots participants.

The platform will manage:

• Athlete onboarding and registration

• Performance tracking

• Certification

• Database management

• Monitoring elite shooters

• Grassroots participation records

Importantly, the app will also handle registrations for the 7,50,000 youth participants targeted under the grassroots programme.

The move reflects the growing importance of technology-driven athlete management in modern sports ecosystems, especially in disciplines where data analysis and long-term performance tracking are critical.

Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya praised NRAI’s long-term planning and innovation-driven approach during the celebrations. He highlighted how initiatives such as the Athlete App, grassroots outreach, and the Shooting League of India could strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem while creating new opportunities for young athletes. Mandaviya also linked the federation’s vision to India’s wider sporting growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, emphasising the importance of planning, integration, and grassroots development in making India a leading sporting nation globally.

Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, one of the biggest stars of Indian shooting, also expressed strong support for NRAI’s initiatives. Bhaker acknowledged the federation’s role in shaping Indian shooting over the past 75 years and described the grassroots outreach programme as an important step in strengthening the country’s future talent pipeline. Her endorsement carries significance, especially for young athletes who increasingly view Olympic medallists as role models capable of inspiring participation in non-mainstream sports.

The event also continued to build anticipation around the Shooting League of India (SLI), India’s first franchise-based professional shooting league. The league is being positioned as a major effort to make shooting more fan-friendly, commercially attractive, and spectator-oriented. A teaser video shown during the celebrations offered a glimpse into the league’s franchise-based format and entertainment-driven presentation style. The NRAI hopes the SLI can help transform shooting from a medal-focused Olympic sport into a mainstream sports property with broader audience appeal.

Globally, franchise leagues have significantly boosted visibility and financial growth for several sports, and NRAI appears keen to replicate a similar model for shooting in India.

The unveiling of the special 75th anniversary logo symbolised more than just a celebration of history. It represented a federation attempting to modernise aggressively while maintaining the legacy built over seven decades. Indian shooting has already established itself as one of the country’s most successful Olympic sports. Now, with structured grassroots programmes, digital integration, and professional league ambitions, the NRAI is aiming to build an ecosystem that can sustain success for generations.

As Indian sport increasingly shifts toward professionalism and long-term planning, NRAI’s 75th anniversary celebrations may ultimately be remembered less for commemorating the past and more for defining the future direction of Indian shooting.