Inaugural Shooting League of Maharashtra Set to Launch in Pune
Maharashtra is on the brink of a historic event in Indian shooting sports with the inaugural Shooting League of Maharashtra (SLM), scheduled to take place from April 17-19 at the Chhatraguj Nurses School in Pune.
Organized by the Maharashtra Rifle Association
The league is organized by the Maharashtra Rifle Association (MRA) and signifies a pivotal step in the structured formation of the Shooting League of India (SLI) ecosystem on a state level. This initiative follows the successful launch of the Shooting League of Karnataka, marking Maharashtra's participation in a broader, pan-Indian strategy aimed at developing a competitive framework for the sport.
Vision and Goals of the League
The establishment of state-level leagues is crucial to the long-term aspirations of the Shooting League of India. The goals include:
Strengthening the Competitive Pathway: Enhancing the journey for athletes to excel.
Expanding Talent Pool: Identifying and nurturing new talent.
Increasing Visibility: Making the sport more engaging and relatable to the general public.
Format and Competition Structure
The inaugural Shooting League of Maharashtra will introduce a team-based format, featuring 18 district teams competing in both 10m rifle and pistol categories. A total of 144 athletes will proudly represent their districts, fostering regional identity and local pride within a structured league framework aligned with SLI's competition ethos.
This league will adopt a dynamic match format that aligns with the SLI blueprint, designed to enhance spectator engagement while maintaining high-performance standards.
Mentorship by Elite Athletes
Adding to the excitement, the league will include some of India's top shooting talents. Notable figures such as:
Rahi Sarnobat
Anjali Bhagwat
Suma Shirur
Deepali Deshpande
Tejaswini Sawant
Rudranksh Patil
Coach Ronak Pandit
These champions will serve as mentors, sharing their expertise and supporting athlete development throughout the league.
Inclusivity and Equal Opportunity
In a groundbreaking move for the sport in Maharashtra, the SLM will follow an inclusive format, free from gender-based restrictions. This allows for mixed teams, reinforcing the principle of equal opportunity in competition.
Connecting Athletes with Fans
By welcoming participation from districts across Maharashtra, the league aims to enhance the competitive landscape of shooting while creating a vibrant and engaging platform that connects athletes with fans. This is a vital part of the overarching vision of the Shooting League of India.
Building on Momentum
The Maharashtra Rifle Association is keen to build on the momentum generated by previous state initiatives. The Shooting League of Maharashtra represents a significant advancement in operationalizing the SLI vision, creating a cohesive structure that integrates grassroots participation, fan engagement, and elite competition.
Teams and Athletes Participating in SLM
Here is a list of teams and their respective shooters:
Sobo Giants (Mumbai City)
Rifle: Bhakti Khamkar, Aditi Singh, Shriya Gole, Sara Wadke
Pistol: Jaj Mandal, Het Patel, Prajna Kesarkar, Gazhla Naushad
Western Rangers (Mumbai Suburban)
Rifle: Nimesh Jadhav, Anshika Singh, Kaustubh Patil, Darshan Lohima
Pistol: Yash Jawalkar, Geeta Mhaske, Anagh Ghosh, Niara Kedar
Rokhthok Thane (Thane)
Rifle: Arikta Singh, Swati Baudh, Dhruv Kinalekar, Dhairyashil Patil
Pistol: Pravin Mishra, Siddhesh Thorat, Toshali Bhuta, Veyanka Daga
Aamhi Punekar (Pune)
Rifle: Medhavi Kudale, Sakshi Padeka, Simra Khan, Suhas Kumbhar
Pistol: Prathmesh Kadam, Rajlaxmi Gore, Chetan Sapkal, Tejas Waghere
Rajdhani Satara (Satara)
Rifle: Asawari Melavane, Viraj Patil, Anushka Mangrule, Ritul Kundle
Pistol: Shubham Kshirsagar, Janhavi Deshmukh, Sheetal Desai, Aditi Jadhav
Kolhapur Bisons (Kolhapur)
Rifle: Samiksha Patil, Sumedh Sasane, Atharva Patil, Dnyaneshwari Patil
Pistol: Anurag Chougale, Pranjali Dhumal, Tejas Dhere, Abhidnya Patil
Raigad Warriors (Raigad)
Rifle: Parth Mane, Isha Taksale, Rahul Sharma, Divya Dhumal
Pistol: Santosh Sawant, Janvi Manatkar, Sameedha Chavan, Priyanka Susvirkar
Sangli Alpha Lions (Sangli)
Rifle: Aditi Hadagal, Pratik Jong, Swara Magdum, Alphia Attar
Pistol: Pranav Patil, Naeem Nardekar, Vaishnavi Raje, Viren Girigosavi
Nashik Nem-Baz (Nashik)
Rifle: Amruta Patil, Radhesh Pardeshi, Soha Inamdar, Komal Sahane
Pistol: Suraj Datir, Radhika Mahale, Shraddha Jagtap, Sairaj Kankate
Golden Finger (Palghar)
Rifle: Mayuri Pawar, Aditri Bhatt, Gayatri Pedde, Arnav Parab
Pistol: Vijay Satote, Shreem Pasad, Raajwardhan Patil, Nirbhai Girse
Solapuri Bramhasra (Solapur)
Rifle: Shraddha Divate, Kiran Rajmane, Payal Nandugade, Jagruti Chakote
Pistol: Vaishnavi Tingare, Prathamesh Bansode, Yashraj Gujare, Vaishnavi Khatavkar
Ahilyanagar Lakshveer (Ahilyanagar)
Rifle: Abhishek Kamthe, Anvita Jadhav, Saumya Khedkar, Sneha Jangale
Pistol: Rohit Wagh, Swamini Jejurkar, Rohit Wagh, Raunak Tokshiya
Aurangabad Team - TBC
Rifle: Rohan Jadhav, Parth Kulkarni, Dhanvi Sawaiwala, Radhika Sonwane
Pistol: Krushnali Rajput, Shraddha Tale, Omkar Chavan, Harshvardhan Sirsath
Amravati Dhurandhar (Amravati)
Rifle: Ansh Kature, Shravani Shrirav, Savi Gulhane, Yash Veni
Pistol: Tiya Loya, Harsh Bakal, Alvin Manu, Tanishka Deshmukh
Wardha Warriors (Wardha)
Rifle: Shawari Pakhale, Gauri Mane, Aishwarya Powar, Vinit Ghugal
Pistol: Urja Kalekar, Shantanu Bhosale, Kasturi Gore, Atharva Pawade
Chandrapur Diamonds (Chandrapur)
Rifle: Prerana Morey, Avantika Shelke, Vedanti Bhatt, Krishna Shelke
Pistol: Tosif Sayyed, Juily Dhapodkar, Gaurav Zende, Mahesh Ghadge
Nagpur Tigers (Nagpur)
Rifle: Samiksha Narsingkar, Kaiwalya Lande, Dharini Borade, Heemanshu Gabhane
Pistol: Abhay Dhamale, Prerna Yadav, Parmesha Zade, Adnan Ali
Ratnagiri Shiledar (Ratnagiri)
Rifle: Yashika Shinde, Harsh Bagave, Nirzara Patil, Lakshya Indurkar
Pistol: Swayam Desai, Rakesh Kadam, Sairaj Kate, Riya Kadam