NRAI Partners with Balmer Lawrie to Launch Dedicated Travel Portal for 80,000 Registered Shooters
The National Rifle Association of India has signed an MoU with Balmer Lawrie to launch a dedicated travel portal, offering corporate fares, zero service fees and seamless domestic travel for over 80,000 registered shooters.
In a significant step towards strengthening athlete support systems, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd. to launch a dedicated travel portal for the country's shooting fraternity.
The partnership introduces a customised Self-Booking Tool (SSBT) that will simplify domestic travel for athletes, coaches, officials and members of the federation. More importantly, it marks the first time an Indian sports federation has introduced a dedicated corporate travel platform exclusively for its registered members.
The initiative is expected to benefit nearly 80,000 registered shooters across India, providing them with easier access to affordable travel while reducing the logistical challenges associated with participating in competitions held throughout the country.
India hosts a packed calendar of national and state-level shooting competitions every year, requiring athletes to travel extensively across different cities. Until now, travel arrangements have largely been managed individually, often adding financial and logistical stress to athletes already focused on preparing for competitions. The newly launched portal seeks to eliminate these challenges by allowing registered users to independently book domestic travel through a centralised digital platform specifically designed for the shooting community.
The system covers both official federation travel and personal domestic travel, giving users complete flexibility while ensuring access to exclusive corporate travel benefits.
Corporate Benefits Extended to Every Shooter
One of the biggest advantages of the new platform is access to discounted corporate airfares normally reserved for large organisations. Registered NRAI members using the portal will be able to book flights at corporate rates while also enjoying additional benefits such as:
Complimentary meals on eligible bookings
Preferred seat selection
Zero service fees on bookings
Minimal cancellation charges aligned with airline policies
Unlike traditional corporate travel programmes that only apply to official travel, the NRAI's new system extends these benefits to personal bookings as well. Athletes will be able to use a single login to access corporate pricing regardless of whether they are travelling for competition or personal reasons.
Recognising that many athletes travel with family members during competitions, the portal also includes a dependent management feature. Each registered shooter can add up to six family members to their account, allowing dependents to enjoy the same corporate fare benefits. This feature is expected to significantly reduce travel costs for families who regularly accompany athletes to tournaments across India.
Combined with the zero service fee structure where users only pay standard payment gateway charges the portal aims to make domestic travel substantially more affordable for the shooting community.
Speaking about the initiative, NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said that managing travel logistics often becomes an unnecessary distraction for athletes during an already demanding competition schedule. He explained that the federation's objective is to remove these operational challenges so shooters can concentrate entirely on performance.
According to him, launching a dedicated travel platform represents an innovative step for Indian sports administration and demonstrates NRAI's commitment to improving the overall athlete experience. By partnering with Balmer Lawrie, the federation hopes to make domestic travel simpler, faster and more cost-effective for every registered shooter.
NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh described the partnership as another important step in creating a more athlete-centric ecosystem. He noted that reducing administrative and logistical burdens is just as important as providing quality coaching and competition opportunities. The new portal, he said, will allow athletes and officials to spend less time managing travel arrangements and more time focusing on training and competition.
The initiative also reflects the federation's broader efforts to strengthen support services around Indian shooters, ensuring they receive assistance not only inside the range but also in areas that directly affect their sporting careers.
The travel platform is currently being integrated by Balmer Lawrie's Travel & Vacations division, with rollout expected to begin immediately after the secure database integration is completed. The digital system has been designed to comply with recognised industry standards, ensuring secure transactions and access to transparent, real-time domestic flight information.
As India's shooting community continues to grow, the federation believes technology-driven solutions such as the Self-Booking Tool will become increasingly important in supporting athletes across all levels.
The partnership between NRAI and Balmer Lawrie could potentially become a model for other sports federations in India. While much attention is often placed on coaching, infrastructure and funding, athlete welfare also depends heavily on efficient administrative support. Travel remains one of the largest recurring expenses for athletes competing in domestic circuits, especially in sports like shooting, where national ranking competitions are held throughout the year.
By negotiating corporate travel benefits for its entire membership, NRAI has introduced a practical solution that directly impacts thousands of athletes. With nearly 80,000 registered shooters expected to benefit from the initiative, the federation has demonstrated how administrative innovation can play a meaningful role in athlete development.
As Indian shooting continues to establish itself as one of the country's most successful Olympic sports, initiatives like this underline NRAI's commitment to creating a professional, athlete-first environment where competitors can focus on delivering their best performances while the federation strengthens the support systems around them.
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