Faridabad (Delhi-NCR), April 20: RTO officer Ritu Singh brought pride to Ayodhya and Uttar Pradesh by clinching a gold medal in the 10m air pistol event at the TAP Sports Shooting Championship 2026, held in Faridabad from April 13 to 19.
Organised under the guidance of Team India coach Deepak Dubey, the second edition of the championship witnessed participation from over 425 shooters representing states including Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
Ritu Singh’s top finish in the 10m air pistol category stood out as one of the key highlights of the event. She was felicitated with a gold medal, memento, and diary by coach Deepak Dubey, who also encouraged her to aim for international-level competitions. Speaking after her win, Singh described shooting as a sport that strengthens mental resilience and credited her parents for their support. She also acknowledged the government’s Khelo India initiative and the Ayodhya administration for promoting sports in the region. Notably, she had recently secured another gold medal at a pre-state competition in Ayodhya.
Key Highlights from the Championship
The competition featured several standout performances across categories:
- Rajasthan’s Divyansh Singh Panwar emerged as “Champion of Champions” in the ISSF rifle category, securing the gold medal.
- Sangeeta Singh from Noida won silver, while Bhanu Praneeth from Andhra Pradesh claimed bronze in the junior rifle category.
Category Winners
ISSF Rifle Category:
- Gold: Bhanu Praneeth
- Silver: Ansh Dabas
ISSF Pistol Category:
- Gold: Anmol Jain (Faridabad)
- Silver: Sahibdil
NR Pistol Category:
- Gold: Sagar Tomar
- Silver: Utsav Malik
Masters and Special Categories
- Master Women (NR Pistol): Dolly Kakoti (Guwahati) – Gold; Priyanka Parashar (Faridabad) – Silver; Pooja Dubey (Ayodhya) – Bronze
- Master Men (ISSF): Deepak Dubey (Ayodhya) – Gold
Emerging Talent
- Under-12 Boys (Sitting): Rishi Gaur – Gold
- Under-12 Girls (Sitting): Gitanshi Chaudhary – Gold
Para and Deaf Categories
- Air Rifle Para Men (ISSF): Hakmuddin Khan (Rajasthan) – Gold
- Air Pistol Para Men (ISSF): Sanjeev Santosh Giri (Tamil Nadu) – Gold
- Air Rifle Deaf Men (ISSF): Pranav Tiwari – Gold; Satyam Tiwari – Silver
- Para Women (ISSF): Simran Sharma (Rajasthan) – Gold
Team Achievements
- Junior Men’s Air Pistol Team (Deepanshu Dubey Team) – Gold
- Deaf Athletes Pistol: Prateek (Rajasthan) – Gold; Naman (Dream Shot Academy, Haryana) – Silver
The event’s technical delegate was Deepak Dubey, while Vipin Madan served as competition director. The championship received support from organizations such as Rodic Consultants, TAP Sports (Elevate Yourself), Mahie Industries, Global Marksman Sports, and Aroma.
Speaking at the event, Deepak Dubey emphasized the importance of structured training and discipline in achieving excellence in shooting sports. Coaches and athletes including Nitin Sharma, Ashwin Sharma, Bhanu, Deepanshu, Niharika, Dolly Kakoti, Muskan, Arjun, Pranav, and Varun were also present.
The championship not only provided a competitive platform for established and emerging shooters but also reinforced Delhi-NCR’s growing stature as a hub for shooting sports in India.
