Sonam Maskar Striking Gold at the 24th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship
The prestigious 24th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship, hosted at the world-class Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal, witnessed a spectacular display of precision and composure. In a fiercely contested field of India's top marksmen, Railways’ emerging shooting star, Sonam Uttam Maskar, stole the spotlight by clinching the coveted gold medal in the highly competitive 10m Air Rifle Women's event.
The championship not only highlighted the exceptional depth of talent in Indian shooting but also served as a thrilling platform where established Olympians and rising prodigies went head-to-head. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the exhilarating action, podium finishes, and standout performances across the senior, junior, youth, and specialized categories.
---Senior 10m Air Rifle Women: Sonam Edges Out Elavenil Valarivan
The marquee senior women's final lived up to its high-stakes billing, culminating in a dramatic, nerve-wracking finish. Sonam Uttam Maskar showcased impeccable focus to secure the gold medal with a stellar final score of 252.1.
Sonam faced an intense challenge from Gujarat's ace shooter and international medalist, Elavenil Valarivan. Elavenil pushed the competition to the absolute limit, ultimately claiming the silver medal with a close score of 251.7—falling short of the top spot by a mere 0.4 points. Maharashtra's Arya Borse displayed commendable grit to take home the bronze medal with a score of 230.4, while her state-mate Shraddha Divate finished a strong fourth with 209.7.
The Qualification Gauntlet
Earlier in the day, the qualification round set a incredibly high standard for the finals. Maharashtra’s Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar absolutely dominated the field, topping the qualification standings with a phenomenal score of 633.9. She was closely followed by:
- Elavenil Valarivan (Gujarat) – 632.8
- Arya Borse (Maharashtra) – 631.4
- Vidarsa K. Vinod (Kerala) – 631.4
Junior and Youth Categories: The Next Generation Steps Up
The tournament's age-group categories proved that the future of Indian shooting is in incredibly safe hands, featuring razor-thin victory margins and record-breaking potential.
10m Air Rifle Junior Women
The junior women's final saw a thrilling, down-to-the-wire battle between West Bengal’s sensational talent, Tilottama Sen, and qualification topper Shambhavi Kshirsagar. Tilottama exhibited ice-cool composure to capture the junior title with a score of 253.4, edging out Shambhavi (253.3) by an incredibly tight 0.1 margin. Anvii Vikram Rathod claimed the bronze medal with a final score of 230.1.
10m Air Rifle Youth Women
In another photo-finish, Karnataka’s Sanvi R.P. clinched the youth women’s title by shooting a brilliant 251.2 in the final. She narrowly defeated Punjab’s Ojasvi Thakur, who took the silver medal with 251.1. Maharashtra’s podium presence continued with Saniya Shaikh securing the bronze medal (229.2).
---Team and Specialized Events: Maharashtra Dominates the Field
The state of Maharashtra asserted its sheer dominance across the team and specialized categories, walking away with a massive haul of medals and showcasing robust grassroots development.
10m Rifle Women's Team Results
Led by the powerhouse trio of Shambhavi Kshirsagar, Arya Borse, and Sakshi Padekar, Maharashtra comfortably captured the team gold, outclassing a formidable Railways squad featuring international veterans.
- Maharashtra (Shambhavi Kshirsagar, Arya Borse, Sakshi Padekar) – 1894.3
- Railways (Sonam Uttam Maskar, Mehuli Ghosh, Ayonika Paul) – 1885.8
- Uttar Pradesh (Sangeeta Singh, Sawini Mital, Khyati Chaudhary) – 1884.7
"The exceptional depth in Maharashtra's shooting contingent highlights the state's rigorous training infrastructure and continuous talent pipeline."
10m Rifle Sub Youth Women
- Gold: Arikta Singh (Maharashtra) – 630.4
- Silver: Sanvi R.P. (Karnataka) – 629.1
- Bronze: Avantika Shelke (Maharashtra) – 628.5
10m Rifle Master Women
The Masters category featured a delightful nostalgic clash between legendary icons of Indian shooting, proving that class is indeed permanent.
- Gold: Tejaswini Sawant (Maharashtra) – 623.7
- Silver: Anjali Bhagwat (Maharashtra) – 621.4
- Bronze: Archana Singh (West Bengal) – 602.0
10m Rifle Deaf Women
- Gold: Mahit Sandhu (Chandigarh) – 625.6
- Silver: Natasha Joshi (Maharashtra) – 623.8
- Bronze: Komal Waghmare (Maharashtra) – 614.4
Final Thoughts
The 24th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship delivered top-tier sporting drama. Sonam Uttam Maskar's milestone victory over a seasoned athlete like Elavenil Valarivan cements her status as one of India's premier rifle shooters to watch on the international circuit. With the senior veterans maintaining their sharp edge and junior prodigies firing world-class scores, Indian shooting continues its triumphant march toward global excellence.