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India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Naraen Pranav, Mukesh Nelavalli among 11 Indian athletes to win medals at ISSF Junior World Cup
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): Indian athletes shone brightly at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025, winning a total of 11 medals- three gold, four silver and four bronze medals. A 57-member Indian contingent was sent to the tournament, which was held in Suhl, Germany, from 19-27 May, of which eight athletes trained at the Gun for Glory academy, run by Gagan Narang Sports Foundation. Two promising athletes from the academy, Naraen Pranav and Mukesh Nelavalli, made the nation proud and returned with medals. Naraen won a silver and a bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Junior Team event and 10m Air Rifle Junior Men event, respectively, whereas Mukesh grabbed a bronze medal in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Junior Men's event. Another athlete, Anushka Thokur, successfully made it to the finals of the 50m 3P Junior Women's event but finished 7th in the finals. All eight athletes from the academy, who represented India at the tournament, trained under GNSPF's Flagship Program Project Leap, a sponsored project that aims to inculcate holistic improvement in selected athletes, targeting technical, physical and mental aspects of the sport. On winning two medals in the tournament, Naraen Pranav expressed his happiness and stated, as quoted by Gagan Narang Sports Foundation press release, 'It feels great and is a major moment in my career so far. Just being able to represent the country on such a global stage is a great honour,r and to return with a medal makes it even more special. I would like to thank my coaches at the Gun for Glory academy and mentor Gagan Narang sir for guiding me at every step, because of which I was able to win these two medals', he said. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medalist, Gagan Narang, also expressed his pride in the achievements of the academy's athletes and said, 'We are extremely proud of these youngsters who made the entire nation stand tall at the ISSF Junior World Cup. This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication and resilience they have put in their training all these years. Our academy aims to continue building many more such athletes and ensuring that the future of Indian shooting is in safe hands.' (ANI)
News18
29-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
ISSF Junior World Cup 2025: 11 Indian Athletes Win Medals
Last Updated: Indians won a total of 11 medals- three gold, four silver and four bronze medals - at the 2025 ISSF Junior World Cup. Indian athletes triumphed at the 2025 ISSF Junior World Cup, securing eleven medals: three gold, four silver, and four bronze. A 57-member Indian contingent participated in the tournament, held in Suhl, Germany, from 19-27 May. Eight of these athletes trained at the Gun for Glory academy, managed by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation (GNSPF). Two standout athletes from the academy, Naraen Pranav and Mukesh Nelavalli, achieved notable success. Naraen secured a silver medal in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Junior Team event and a bronze in the 10m Air Rifle Junior Men's event. Mukesh claimed a bronze medal in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Junior Men's event. Fellow academy athlete, Anushka Thokur, reached the finals of the 50m 3P Junior Women's event, finishing seventh. Expressing his elation, Naraen Pranav commented, 'It feels great and is definitely a major moment in my career so far. Representing the country on such a global stage is a great honour, and returning with a medal makes it even more special. I would like to thank my coaches at Gun for Glory academy and mentor Gagan Narang sir for guiding me at every step, which enabled me to win these two medals." Gagan Narang, the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, expressed his pride in the academy's athletes, stating, 'We are extremely proud of these youngsters who made the entire nation stand tall at the ISSF Junior World Cup. This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and resilience they have put into their training over the years. Our academy aims to continue developing many more such athletes and ensuring the future of Indian shooting is in safe hands." First Published: May 29, 2025, 13:31 IST
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
From Starting Blocks to Finish Line: Simran's story of grit, sacrifice and Paralympic medal
New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): In a recent appearance at the House of Glory podcast, an initiative by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation, Paralympian Simran Sharma shared her challenging journey and the battles she fought. She highlighted that her path to the track was not typical, it was filled with challenges on every step, which started right from the time she was born. Simran recalled while speaking at the House of Glory podcast, 'Doctors said I wouldn't make it, and back then, no one was too bothered - it was early, and I was a girl. But my father decided to keep me alive. I survived without machines, but with many problems. I grew up with weak eyes, muscles, and body. I never even dreamt of the Olympics - just hoped for a small job to support my family.' 2024 Paris Paralympics bronze medallist also praised her husband for the support in her journey. 'He never let me do household work. He said just eat well and train. He made sure I didn't wear a veil, didn't follow the restrictions women in our village were used to. He had one goal - the Olympics,' Sharma said. Recalling the training days, her husband Gajendra said he used to spend hours in kitchen working on the diet of paralympian. 'There were days I trained her so hard, she'd be vomiting on the ground,' Armyman Gajendra remembered. 'My mother saw her once and asked me, 'Are you trying to kill her?' But I knew what she needed to reach that level. I used to spend hours in the kitchen working on her diet and on the field training her methodically.' But behind the physical struggle was a mental one, Simran Sharma pointed out. She stated that at the 2019 World Championships her father was on a ventilator and her husband was drowning in debt from her training. 'My dad's medicine cost Rs. 150, and we couldn't afford it. Everyone blamed my husband for supporting me. I broke down. I thought, maybe if I'm not there, the problems will go too. I tried to commit suicide,' Simran revealed. But again with her husband's help and support, she was able to bounce back as she shared, 'He said, 'We'll fall, but we'll rise again. We'll never give up. I'm with you till the end.' Simran clinched a bronze medal in the women's 200m T12 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympics by clocking a personal best timing of 24.75s, alongside her guide Abhay Singh. The T12 class is for runners with a visual impairment, hence athletes run with a guide on the track. (ANI)
Hans India
26-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Never dreamt of Olympics, just hoped for a job to support family, says Paralympian Simran
Paralympian Simran Sharma shared her challenging journey and the battles she fought from being a premature baby not expected to survive to representing India on the world stage, her journey is one of grit, heartbreak and unshakeable resolve. Her path to the track was not typical, it was filled with challenges on every step, which started right from the time she was born. "Doctors said I wouldn't make it, and back then, no one was too bothered - it was early, and I was a girl. But my father decided to keep me alive. I survived without machines but with many problems. I grew up with weak eyes, muscles, and body. I never even dreamt of the Olympics - just hoped for a small job to support my family," Simran recalled at the House of Glory podcast, an initiative by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation. But everything changed after marriage. Gajendra Singh, her husband and coach, saw a spark in her. 'He never let me do household work. He said just eat well and train. He made sure I didn't wear a veil, didn't follow the restrictions women in our village were used to. He had one goal - the Olympics,' shared the 2024 Paris Paralympics bronze medallist. 'There were days I trained her so hard, she'd be vomiting on the ground,' Armyman Gajendra remembered. 'My mother saw her once and asked me, 'Are you trying to kill her?' But I knew what she needed to reach that level. I used to spend hours in the kitchen working on her diet and on the field training her methodically.' But behind the physical struggle was a mental one. At the 2019 World Championships, Simran competed while her father was on a ventilator and her husband was drowning in debt from her training. 'My dad's medicine cost Rs 150 and we couldn't afford it. Everyone blamed my husband for supporting me. I broke down. I thought, maybe if I'm not there, the problems will go too. I tried to commit suicide,' Simran revealed. But again with her husband's help and support, she was able to bounce back as she shared, 'He said, 'We'll fall, but we'll rise again. We'll never give up. I'm with you till the end'." Now, Simran has returned stronger - mentally, physically and emotionally. She's built homes for her mother and mother-in-law, also winning her first-ever Paralympics bronze medal. Simran's story is not just one of athletic ambition - it's about breaking odds, healing and redefining what support looks like.
