Latest news with #NRAI
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
With Shooting League of India, ISSF ready to embrace attention
Over 70 shooters from around 20 countries, and around 500 domestic shooters have applied for the auction, for which a date is yet to be confirmed. "The Indian league (SLI) is really important also because it gives great attention and equal representation to men and women. I hope that this will be great chance for the athletes to receive attention from TV. It is time that the game opens to the world and we are ready to receive the attention," Rossi added. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, president of the National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) emphasised on how technology could bridge the gap between the sport and the audiences. "New camera angles and biofeedback can be brought in to bring more excitement to the game as well as a better understanding of what the athlete is going through. When they are pulling that trigger and hitting that shot and the joys or the disappointments felt by them and they miss the goal by just the width of one breath," he said. With regards to the format, Kalikesh said that the league will try to keep it to the purest form of the game. "We also understand the pressures and the pulls of the current market of audiences. We are in advanced talks with some sponsors and broadcasters. We are also looking at esports as a key component to the league," he said.
News18
a day ago
- Sport
- News18
India playing a big role in popularising shooting sport: ISSF chief Rossi
New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President Luciano Rossi on Monday said the global body wants to take the sport to great heights in Asia, and India would play a pivotal role in achieving that. ISSF has a total of 163 member countries but India has emerged as the hub of the shooting sport, given the number of teenagers taking up the sport. In a bid to harness talent, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) will also be organising a franchise-based Shooting League of India (SLI) later this year. 'The ISSF has 163 member countries across continents. But the biggest (potential) now is (in) India," said Rossi in an interaction with the media. 'ISSF relies on a strong cooperation from the NRAI and also other Asian countries. We have members from five continents, but Asia has a lot of talent and the incredible scores are a testimony to that," he said. 'We are working with India and China to help increase the sport activity around in Asia." NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo said that the global body had consistently helped India by awarding major international competitions to the coutry. 'ISSF has always been very generous towards India. They awarded us the World Cup Final in 2024 after the Olympics. This year, we are conducting the Junior World Cup. Next year in February, we have the Asian Shooting Competition… in 2027, the ISSF has given us a World Cup quota competition. 'And in 2028, we have the Junior World Championship, where thousands of young shooters will come from all over the world to participate in India," said Kalikesh. 'This is, of course, exciting for the Indian shooters, because most of our shooters come in the rather young category… we've had shooters as young as 16, going up to 24, 25, one of the youngest teams in the world. And, of course, one of the most successful teams in the world in the recently held Argentina and Peru and World Cups, as well as Munich." 'We are very excited that the world's first Shooting League of India is going to be held in India towards the end of November. We are very grateful to ISSF for listing it in the calendar. More than 70 international shooters from over 20 countries have agreed to participate in this. And of course, more than 400-500 domestic shooters have applied to be part of the auction process," added Kalikesh. Rossi said that ISSF is trying to make shooting a more television and spectator-friendly sport and the changes could be seen at LA28. 'For too many years, we talked inside the (shooting) family (fraternity). We forgot to showcase (the sport) outside the family (fraternity). It was a big mistake. 'Now, we are working to repair this. We (will) invest not only money, but also give a lot of attention to it. We are working for a new format for the Olympic Games. 'And we will test it this year in the World Cup Final that will be in Doha. We will be ready for LA28. We understand that shooting is not a physical sport, as some the other sports are. It doesn't mean that we can't make it more exciting and viewer-friendly." Rossi also hinted that there was a proposal to increase the number of finalists in shotgun events from six to eight and also in rapid fire, to bring uniformity in the sport. 'We have to increase the number of finalists in shotgun from six to eight, in rapid fire from four to eight, because in all other discipline it is eight. We are working on this," said Rossi. PTI AM AM AT AT view comments First Published: July 28, 2025, 20:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
NRAI chief Kalikesh Deo: ‘Shooting will be there' in programme if India hosts 2030 CWG, 2036 Olympics
India is set to host four major shooting events between 2025 and 2028. However, it was baffling why the hosting rights for all those championships were awarded to New Delhi alone, especially when the entire community had appeared overtly enthusiastic about participating at a new venue a few years back. The Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal, having set up a new final hall and redesigned its shotgun range, was excited to roll out the red carpet for international competitions. However, the International Shooting Sport Federation's (ISSF) World Cup in March 2023 remains the sole international meet to have been held at the said venue. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, says reduced connectivity to the Tier-2 city is the reason why it has been difficult to host world-class competitions in Bhopal. 'The choice of the venue largely depends on the logistical convenience of an athlete. Let's not forget that athletes, who are taking 24 hours and coming to Delhi, have to go through Customs again to fly to another place. The feedback that we got was to try and limit the amount of logistics involved to encourage more participation. Of course, the final decision rests with the ISSF,' Kalikesh said during a virtual media roundtable on Monday. Regarding India being preferred over other member nations for a major competition each year, Kalikesh said, 'The ISSF has always been very generous towards India and even more so since Luciano (Rossi) has taken over as the president. He had graciously awarded us the World Cup Final of 2024 after the Olympics. This year, we will have the Junior World Cup; next year, in February, we have the Asian Cup in rifle and pistol; and in 2027, we will have a Quota competition (an all-format World Cup). In 2028, we will have the Junior World Championship, where young shooters from across the world will come to participate. This is exciting for Indian shooters, especially as a lot of them are now starting off very young. We believe India will be a great asset to the ISSF going forward, and also to Luciano in terms of support to him and his plans for the sport. ALSO READ | NRAI president: Not to make an attempt with Shooting League of India would be a crime India is also set to organise the inaugural edition of the Shooting India League (SLI) in November. The entire competition, a first of its kind, is set to be held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. According to the NRAI, the SLI is set to operate in 'a hybrid model, integrating traditional shooting events with virtual competitions.' It also mentions the integration of e-sports to an extent. Earlier this month, Kalikesh was also appointed Interim Chairperson of the ISSF Committee on E-sports and Innovations. Luciano explained what e-sports, which recently became a part of the Olympic movement in 2024, had to do with a sport whose history with the Summer Games can be traced back to the late 1800s. He said, 'We have to open our minds. For years, shooting has been very closed to the outside world. E-sports has been widely appreciated. So, we have created this small group, which Kalikesh is part of, because we realise we can use modern systems and new technology to send a message across the world regarding what is happening in shooting. Shooting is the safest sport in the world, but we have failed to communicate what we are doing. With e-sports, following the IOC's footsteps, we want to appeal to the younger generation. The growth is limitless. Only 10 international federations are a part of the e-sports movement, and we are proud to be one of them.' To further strengthen shooting's footprint across the globe, the ISSF needs to plan a better broadcasting strategy. Luciano says he is already on it. 'For too many years, we were so invested in our family that we forgot to show what we are to people outside the family. It was a big mistake, which we are looking to repair now. We are investing a lot of money and attention in better communication and in establishing a good relationship with the players. We don't have a set solution yet, as I am not a magician, but as a team, we are doing our best to improve the communication media. We are close to a change. The next Olympics will be emotional, and there will be more drama.' ALSO READ | ISSF proposes changes to shooting gear to tackle 'technical doping,' looks to reset rifle world records in 2026 Currently, only the ISSF event finals are streamed on YouTube. Shooting has been shunned by the Commonwealth Games (CWG) organisers for two editions in a row now. It also did not make the programme at the latest edition of the World University Games. While that presents a worrying picture of the future of the sport, Luciano and Kalikesh aren't too worried. Luciano said: 'I spoke with the Chair of the CWG. It was a mistake to remove shooting from the Games roster in 2022. The ISSF did what needed to be done at that point. But that's in the past. We are ready to cooperate again.' 'I can assure you that when India hosts CWG in 2030, shooting will be there. Shooting will also find a prominent place when the country hosts the Olympics in 2036. We had a healthy medal tally in the Asian Games and the Olympics,' Kalikesh weighed in.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Excise licence fee hike, liquor prices, rentals take the fizz out of Pub City
BENGALURU: There is a gradual decline in the number of watering holes in Pub City, especially in the past six months. Sources in the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry told TNIE that a 50 per cent hike in Excise licence fee, cut in corporate spending and insecurity regarding jobs have left telltale signs in falling footfalls and winding up of some liquor outlets. 'In the last six months, around 50-60 pubs and bars in the city have either shut shop or exchanged hands,' said Chethan Hegde, National Restaurants' Association of India (NRAI), Bengaluru chapter head, and owner of '1522', a prominent chain of pubs in the city, 'Hike in licence fee, manpower and rentals, along with escalation in liquor prices in the last couple of years has adversely impacted F&B business in the city,' he added. 'Bengalureans are grounded and smart spenders. An increase in liquor prices is impacting people, who love to dine out. They have cut down on the number of occasions they would go out to dine. It is liquor that spirals up the restaurant bill and people are being careful. Many have home bars. Instead of drilling a hole in their wallet to dine out, they would rather call in food from outside and relax with friends at home, at a much lesser cost and for a longer time, with no added headache of navigating through traffic and parking woes,' said another pub owner.
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First Post
22-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Shooting League of India: NRAI hopes for IPL-like impact with new
Indian shooting has consistently made the country proud at the Olympics but shooters have never received the same attention as the cricketers. Will Shooting League of India change that? read more Indian shooters will compete with top foreign athletes in the Shooting League of India. Image: PTI Indian shooters, like most Olympic athletes in the country, are accustomed to being the poor cousins of their cricket counterparts but a new franchise-based league wants to change that. The Shooting League of India (SLI) will start on the outskirts of Delhi in November with six to eight teams, each an eclectic mix of the sport's global stars and local talents. 'Despite our consistent performance in the Olympics and other events, shooting does not have the kind of visibility it should have here,' National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Singh Deo told Reuters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The league will, hopefully, give some visibility to our shooters, popularise shooting overall and increase our mass appeal.' Will SLI give deserved visibility to Indian shooters? Each franchise will have a 12-member squad – six men and six women – with up to four foreigners in their ranks. More than 70 shooters from 25 countries have registered for next month's auction, Deo said without disclosing any names. 'This is a first of its kind league in shooting and we'll ensure that the best shooters come here and put up a great show,' he said. Similarities with the Indian Premier League (IPL) are uncanny and Deo acknowledged the influence of cricket's most lucrative T20 competition. 'Of course, IPL is a major, successful league for any sport and we've borrowed certain elements from it. But we understand that shooting is different from cricket,' Deo said. 'We are not competing with cricket, but we believe that shooting needs to be recognised for being one of the most successful sports in the country. 'It's a long-term venture and it's going to be fast, fun, and exciting. We'll make sure our franchises and our sponsors get a bang for their buck.' SLI looks to create IPL-like impact India remains a minor force at the Olympic Games but shooters have enjoyed consistent success, winning three of the country's six medals in Paris last year. The league, which requires franchises to include at least two shooters aged under 21, should go a long way to establishing India as a shooting powerhouse, Deo said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We have identified the youngsters, who will potentially compete in the 2032 and 2036 Olympics,' he said. 'This league will give the opportunity to all those shooters, who may not be part of the current national squad, to compete with the best and learn from them.' The NRAI will announce the league's franchises and broadcast partners in due course. The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has thrown its support behind the league. 'Innovative formats like this have the potential to bring Olympic shooting to new audiences, offer more competitive opportunities for athletes, and enhance the visibility of our sport on a national and international level,' ISSF secretary general Alessandro Nicotra di San Giacomo told Reuters. 'We commend NRAI for taking this initiative and wish the league every success in its inaugural season.'
