Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker will spearhead India’s campaign at the season-ending ISSF World Cup final in Doha, having secured qualification in two events, the women’s 10m air pistol and the women’s 25m pistol. Manu is the only Indian shooter to have made the cut in multiple categories, underlining her stature as the country’s most accomplished and versatile shooter on the international stage. The prestigious competition, scheduled from December 4 to 9, determines the world’s best shooter of the year in each of the 12 individual Olympic disciplines.
Indian shooting, which has enjoyed one of its most successful years, will be strongly represented in Doha with eight shooters qualifying across five of the 12 Olympic events. The ISSF has also confirmed that the World Cup final will be a prize money event, with winners earning €5,000 for gold, €4,000 for silver, and €2,000 for bronze.
Joining Manu Bhaker in the elite field is teenage sensation Suruchi Singh, who has been hailed as the breakout star of 2025. Suruchi dominated the women’s 10m air pistol circuit with three consecutive gold medals in Buenos Aires, Lima and Munich, which not only sealed her place in Doha but also propelled her to the world No.1 ranking in the event. Her rise provides India with a formidable one-two punch alongside the experienced Manu.
Olympian Esha Singh further bolsters India’s strength in women’s air pistol, having booked her place in Doha with a gold medal at the final World Cup of the season in Ningbo, China. With Manu, Suruchi and Esha, India will have three strong contenders in the women’s 10m air pistol.
India’s challenge is not limited to pistol events. In men’s rifle, former world champion Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil earned his Doha spot with a gold in Buenos Aires, while Olympian Arjun Babuta joined him in the men’s 10m air rifle courtesy of his silver in Lima. The pairing gives India serious medal hopes in rifle too.
The women’s rifle contingent will be led by Sift Kaur Samra, the reigning Asian Champion and world-record holder, who qualified in the 50m rifle three positions (3P) event with her gold-winning display in Buenos Aires.
In pistol, Olympian Vijayveer Sidhu grabbed his ticket to Doha by striking gold in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol, a performance that showcased both skill and composure. Completing India’s line-up is Simranpreet Kaur Brar, who booked her berth in the women’s 25m pistol with a silver medal in Lima. Her qualification was confirmed after China’s Sun Yujie, already qualified earlier in the season through a gold in Buenos Aires, left room for Simranpreet to enter the field.
While eight Indians are confirmed so far, the squad could expand. More shooters will have opportunities to qualify through upcoming competitions, including the ISSF World Championship Shotgun in Athens and the ISSF World Championship Rifle/Pistol in Cairo, scheduled in October and November.
India’s broader shooting campaign in 2025 has already been marked by unprecedented success. Across four World Cup stages for Rifle/Pistol, held in Buenos Aires, Lima, Munich and Ningbo, and the separate shotgun stages in Nicosia and Lonato, India collected a total of 22 medals — nine gold, six silver and seven bronze. This haul placed the country second overall among competing nations, reaffirming its position as one of the world’s true powerhouses in shooting.