Shooting League of India gets ISSF window, event from Nov 24-Dec 7

New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) The inaugural Shooting League of India (SLI) has received a window from the sport's global governing body and the tournament will be now held from November 24 to December 7, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said on Friday.

The franchise-based league, which was mooted by NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, was initially scheduled to be organised in March.

The NRAI had announced its intention to host the SLI in November last year after receiving approval from the national federation's governing body.

The league will see top Indian shooters take on the best in the sport.

Kalikesh said, "We are all very excited. With the ISSF now recognising the SLI and allotting a window for it in its official calendar, it is now officially an international competition.

"With India's already strong profile in the sport globally, this would help attract most top shooters to the league, besides the unique nature of the league itself.

"A lot of work is going on behind the scenes and this motivates us further to deliver one of the best ever shooting sport spectacles ever witnessed." Last month, the NRAI had announced long-time former Hockey India chief executive Elena Norman as the consultant for the SLI and New Horizons Alliance Pvt. Ltd. as its commercial and marketing partner.

Shooting has been the country's strongest sport at the Olympic Games since the turn of the century with Indians winning one gold, two silver and four bronze medals.

At Paris Olympics last year, Indian shooters won three medals in a single sport for the first time with Manu Bhaker becoming the first athlete from the country to bag two medals at a single Games post Independence.

The SLI is expected to feature competitions in rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines. PTI AH AM AH AM AM