New Delhi, May 27, 2026 — NRAI President Shri Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo led the Indian shooting fraternity in mourning the demise of legendary shotgun shooter and international sports administrator Raja Randhir Singh, who passed away at his residence at the age of 79 following a prolonged illness.
Messages of Condolence
“It is an irreplaceable loss, not only for the sport of Shooting, but for the entire Olympic sporting fraternity in India, of which Raja Randhir Singh ji was the biggest promoter and supporter. His record as an international Shooter representing India speaks for itself. As a Sports Administrator, Raja Randhir Singh ji was a visionary and worked tirelessly for the development and growth of the Indian and Asian Olympic movements. The exposure, training and facilities that the Indian athletes are getting today, owe a lot to Raja Randhir Singh’s contributions over the past four decades. On behalf of the entire NRAI family, I extend my deepest condolences to his grieving family.” — Shri Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President, NRAI
“He was like a father figure to all of us in sports administration. Till he was able, he would be just a call away for all of us and motivated us towards solutions to the most difficult of problems. His energy and positivity towards Indian sports will be sorely missed. It is a very big loss for the nation and the sporting community in particular. May God give his family the strength to overcome this loss. The Shooting fraternity is in shock.” — Shri Pawankumar Singh, Secretary General, NRAI
Landmark Milestones as Athlete and Administrator
- Historic Breakthrough: Competed in five Olympic Games and became the first Indian shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal, claiming Men’s Trap gold at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games.
- National & Olympic Recognition: Recipient of the Arjuna Award; served as India’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative from 2001 to 2014 and Honorary Member thereafter.
- Global Sports Leadership: Played a pivotal role in bringing the 2003 Afro-Asian Games and 2010 Commonwealth Games to India, and led the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), declaring the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou closed in 2023.