New Delhi [India], September 3 : The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) welcomed a significant step towards the promotion and development of shooting sport in the Union Territory of Ladakh with the inauguration of an insulated, all-year-round indoor Air Rifle and Air Pistol shooting range at the newly built Sports Complex of the Ladakh Police in Leh, according to a press release.
The facility, established by the Ladakh Shooting Association (LSA) in collaboration with the Ladakh Police, was inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, V.K. Saxena, in August.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chief Secretary, Ladakh, Ashish Kundra; DGP Ladakh, Anant Jain; NRAI Vice President K. Sultan Singh; President, Ladakh Shooting Association, Gawa Norboo; and other senior officials and dignitaries of the UT Government.
The new facility is a significant addition to the sporting infrastructure in Ladakh, providing athletes with access to an indoor shooting range that can operate throughout the year despite the region’s challenging weather conditions. The range will be accessible to students, members of the general public and police personnel, thereby creating wider opportunities for participation and talent identification in shooting sport.
Welcoming the development, NRAI President Kalikesh Singh Deo said the facility would play an important role in taking shooting sport to the grassroots in Ladakh and creating a pathway for local talent to progress into competitive shooting.
He said, “The inauguration of this indoor shooting range marks an important milestone in the development of shooting sport in Ladakh. Our objective at the NRAI is to ensure that young talent across India has access to the facilities and opportunities required to take up the sport and progress competitively. Ladakh presents its own unique geographical and climatic challenges, and an all-year-round facility like this can make a meaningful difference. We are grateful to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, the UT Government, Ladakh Police and the Ladakh Shooting Association for their commitment to developing shooting in the region. We look forward to seeing more young shooters from Ladakh emerge through this initiative.”
The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh welcomed the initiative and highlighted the importance of creating sporting facilities that remain accessible throughout the year. He also announced the UT Government’s support for developing additional shooting ranges at other districts and locations across Ladakh.
NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh said the opening of the facility would provide an important platform for increasing participation and identifying talent from the region.
“This is an important beginning for shooting sport in Ladakh. For any sporting ecosystem to grow, access is fundamental, and this facility provides that access in a structured and sustainable manner. Opening the range to students, the public and police personnel will help introduce more people to the sport while creating a larger pool from which talent can be identified. With continued support from the UT Government and the Ladakh Shooting Association, we are confident that this initiative can develop into a strong shooting ecosystem across Ladakh,” he stated.
The Ladakh Shooting Association, in collaboration with the Ladakh Police, will oversee the operations of the facility and facilitate its use for training and participation. The range is expected to provide aspiring shooters in Leh with an opportunity to train locally and pursue the sport without having to travel outside the UT for basic training facilities.
The NRAI has consistently worked towards expanding the reach of shooting sport beyond established centres and strengthening the grassroots sporting ecosystem across the country. The opening of the Leh facility is aligned with this vision of making shooting more accessible and creating opportunities for athletes from diverse geographical regions.
With the UT Government expressing its intent to support the establishment of more shooting ranges across Ladakh, the initiative is expected to serve as the foundation for a wider network of shooting facilities in the region and help bring more athletes from Ladakh into the national shooting sports pathway.