First Sikkim State Shooting Championship ends in Gangtok; 12 qualify for next events
The first-ever Sikkim State Shooting Championship concluded in Gangtok with shooters competing in air pistol and air rifle categories. Twelve athletes qualified
The first-ever Sikkim State Shooting Championship 2026 concluded on the final day at the Sikkim Rifle and Pistol Academy in Gangtok. The two-day meet was organised by the Sikkim Rifle Association (SRA) and marked a new state-level competition for shooting sport in Sikkim.
At the closing ceremony, Health and Family Welfare Department minister GT Dhungel declared the event closed. Tadong Ward councillor Sonam Pintso Bhutia attended as the guest of honour. In his address, Dhungel congratulated the SRA and said the championship is a step toward expanding the sporting landscape for young people.
Competition format and categories
The championship featured 22 shooters competing in 10-metre Air Pistol and 10-metre Peep Sight Air Rifle across different categories. Divisions included Sub-Youth Men, Youth Women, Senior Men, Senior Women, Master Men and Senior Master Women.
Each participant fired 40 shots, with a maximum attainable score of 400 points. Scores were awarded on a ten-point scale for each shot based on proximity to the bull’s-eye. Technical officials from the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), Ms Anjali Singh and Mr John Thounaojam, oversaw the competition, while Balari Shisha Rani from the Shooting Association of Meghalaya supervised results, timing and scoring.
Winners and athletes who qualified
Medals were awarded across the events. In Air Pistol, gold winners included Tarun Bhujel (Sub-Youth Men), Susmita Tamang (Youth Women), Sherpa Palden Sherpa (Men), Anu Chettri (Women), Moses Rai (Master Men) and Sushma Tripathi Bhattarai (Senior Master Women). In Air Rifle, gold was won by Kishun S. Rajput (Men), Tshering Yangden Bhutia (Women) and Ashok Gurung (Master Men).
After reviewing performances, twelve shooters qualified to represent Sikkim at the forthcoming North East Zone Championship and the Pre-National Shooting Championship. The qualified athletes are Tarun Bhujel, Susmita Tamang, Anu Chettri, Ishnuka Rai, Sriya Chettri, Prabina Gurung, Moses Rai, Laxuman Adhikari, Kishun S. Rajput, Prabin Tamang, Tshering Yangden Bhutia and Dipuna Tamang.
