16th Lakshya Cup 2025 To Feature India's Top-Ranked Air Rifle Shooters In Navi Mumbai

India's top 20-ranked 10m Air Rifle shooters will compete at the 16th RR Lakshya Cup 2025, powered by RR Global, at the Lakshya Shooting Club, Karnala Sports Academy, Panvel, Navi Mumbai. The Invitation only tournament scheduled for 21st and 22nd February will bring together leading junior and senior athletes in a professionally run competition aligned with international standards, with equal podium opportunities for men and women, and prize money and equipment awards for top finishers.

The top-contenders like Kiran Jadhav (reigning National Champion and World Championship medalist), Sonam Maskar (ISSF World Cup medalist), Parth Mane (reigning National Games Champion and Junior World Champion), Rajshree Sancheti (international shooter and former National Champion), and Ojasvi Thakur (Asian Championships Youth gold medalist) will compete, where the Senior Champion will receive ₹1.5 lakhs and the rotating Silver Trophy, currently held by Kiran Jadhav of the Navy. The Junior Champion will receive ₹75,000, with additional cash prizes for other podium finishers. Athletes will also be eligible to win shooting equipment and accessories from equipment partner Capapie Sports and accessories partner Tiro Sports.

Founded in 2006, Lakshya Shooting Club introduced the Lakshya Cup in 2009 as an intra-club event. The tournament was conceptualised by Olympian, Arjuna Awardee and Dronacharya Awardee Suma Shirur, Founder and High-Performance Director of Lakshya Shooting Club. Since 2016, it has developed into one of India's most respected invitation-only rifle competitions, designed to provide structured exposure and competitive pressure for emerging and elite shooters.

Speaking ahead of the 16th edition, Suma Shirur, Founder and High-Performance Director of Lakshya Shooting Club, said, “The Lakshya Cup was created to prepare Indian rifle shooters for the demands of international sport. High performance is built through structure, discipline and exposure to competitive pressure. This platform challenges athletes to perform with composure and consistency at the highest level.”

Finals will be held on February 22, 2026, with the Junior 10m Air Rifle Final at 2:00 PM followed by the Senior 10m Air Rifle Final at 3:30 PM. The Prize Distribution Ceremony will commence at 5:30 PM.

A defining feature of the Lakshya Cup since 2009 has been gender parity. Women and men in the senior category, and girls and boys in the junior category, compete together for the same podium positions, reflecting the belief that shooting performance is determined by skill, focus and temperament, and aligning with the sport's global direction, including Olympic mixed team events.

The 16th RR Lakshya Cup 2025 acknowledges the support of the Maharashtra Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association of India, along with partners: Capapie Sports (Equipment Partner), Tiro Sports (Accessories Partner), Karnala Sports Academy (Venue Partner), Munoth Group (Realty Partner), Tara Chand Infralogistic Solutions Ltd. (Logistics Partner), and Texon Corporation (Technology Partner).

About Lakshya Shooting Club

Lakshya Shooting Club has been a Khelo India-accredited academy since 2018 and continues to contribute to India's competitive rifle pipeline. The 10m Air Rifle discipline holds a special place in Indian sport, rising to national prominence after Abhinav Bindra won India's first individual Olympic gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Through structured competition and professional event management, the Lakshya Cup aims to strengthen India's high-performance shooting ecosystem.

RR Global, a diversified Indian conglomerate operating across the electrical and infrastructure value chain, supports professional sport through marquee sponsorships across disciplines, reflecting its commitment to high-performance platforms and national engagement.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)