35th All India G.V. Mavlankar Pistol Shooting Championship Concludes in Dehradun
The 35th All India G.V. Mavlankar Shooting Championship (Pistol Events) concluded on November 1, 2026, with a closing ceremony held at the Trishul Shooting Range in Raipur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The national-level championship witnessed participation from approximately 7,000 athletes representing different parts of the country, highlighting the growing popularity of shooting sports in India.
The championship was organised by the Uttar Pradesh State Rifle Association (UPSRA) in collaboration with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). The event brought together shooters, sports officials, administrators and representatives of various sporting organisations, providing a national platform for athletes to demonstrate their skills and compete in pistol shooting events.
Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister for Forests Subodh Uniyal attended the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest. Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and former Union Minister Ramesh Chand Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ was present as the Special Guest.
The ceremony was also attended by several senior government officials and sports administrators, including Amit Sinha, Director General (Sports) and Special Principal Secretary, Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Uttarakhand; Dehradun District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan; and Deepti Singh, Director, Sports, Government of Uttarakhand. Their presence underscored the importance of institutional support and government involvement in promoting competitive sports and developing sporting infrastructure.
Senior office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh State Rifle Association were also present on the occasion. These included Shyam Singh Yadav, former Member of Parliament and President of UPSRA; G.S. Singh, Honorary Secretary General of the association; and Vipul Kumar Singh, Honorary Treasurer of UPSRA.
The participation of approximately 7,000 athletes made the championship a significant national sporting event, bringing together competitors from across India. The event provided shooters with an opportunity to test their abilities at a competitive national-level platform while contributing to the development and wider recognition of pistol shooting as a sporting discipline.
The closing ceremony marked the culmination of the championship and brought together athletes, sports officials and distinguished guests to celebrate the successful conduct of the competition. The presence of senior public representatives and sports administrators also highlighted the role of state associations and national sporting bodies in creating opportunities for emerging and established shooting talent.
The 35th edition of the All India G.V. Mavlankar Shooting Championship further reflected the importance of grassroots and competitive shooting events in strengthening India’s shooting sports ecosystem. Such championships play an important role in identifying promising talent, providing competitive exposure to athletes and encouraging greater participation in shooting sports across the country.
With the conclusion of the pistol events in Dehradun, the championship ended on a note of national sporting participation and collaboration among shooting associations, government institutions and the wider sporting community.
