Top five Indian female shooters to look out for in 2022

These players will look to achieve big milestones in the upcoming tournaments.

When it comes to shooting, Indian women shooters are as competitive, if not more, as men. The talent pool in India is huge, with several women and young girls performing with poise and composure that belies their age. There are also experienced veterans who tackle every game with a mature and concise approach. With such a rich shooting culture prevalent within the country, it would only be a matter of time before the medals start coming in at a rapid rate.

We take a look at the top five active female shooters in India. This list is based on their current performances and relies a lot on the world rankings.

5. Shreyasi Singh

An experienced competitor, Shreyasi Singh is one of India’s foremost shooters in the trap category. Currently ranked 19th in the world, the 30-year-old has been competing on the international stage since 2013. She has won a silver at the Junior Asian Championships in 2008, while also winning gold in the trap team event at the World Cup held in New Delhi in 2021.

Shreyasi has participated in seven World Championships and 25 World Cups with a sixth-place finish in Tucson in 2014 her best finish in the individual category.

4. Sift Kaur Samra

One of the many youngsters in this list, Sift Kaur Samra is slowly garnering fame in the 50m rifle 3 positions category. She had a brilliant outing at the World Cup held in Cairo, where she proved to be competitive, including 13th  and 14th position finishes in the team event.

Her performances earned her the 27th rank in the world in the category. The 20-year-old will be looking to climb up the ladder and bring more laurels to the country.

3. Shri Nivetha Paramanantham

Nivetha Paramanantham is a force to be reckoned with. The shooter hailing from Tamil Nadu was a constant figure on the international circuit in junior categories, before making the jump to the senior level. She secured two gold medals in the team categories at the World Cups held in New Delhi in 2021 and Cairo in 2022.

The 26-year-old was also placed fourth at the New Delhi edition in the individual category, barely missing out on a medal. She finished 27th at the Cairo 2022 edition. The Indian shooter is currently ranked 35th in the world, with a rating of 412.

2. Rhythm Sangwan

Currently ranked sixth in the world in the 25m pistol category, Rhythm Sangwan is one of the new crop of talented shooters coming on the international stage. She had an excellent outing in junior categories, winning three golds, three of which came in the 25m pistol category at the Junior World Championships held in Lima in 2021.

Her senior international career also started in glittering fashion, as she won the gold medal in the mixed team event at the World Cup held in Cairo. She is currently doing a great job at the national shooting trials, finishing at the top of the charts, despite having several experienced competitors in her pool. Her performances have placed her sixth in the world ranking.

1. Esha Singh

The youngster’s talent knows no bounds. Esha Singh is amongst the world’s best in two categories. Placed sixth in the 10m air pistol category, Esha is also 14th in the world in the 25m pistol. She is just 17-years-old. The prodigy has been dominating the junior section before announcing herself on the senior stage with brilliant performances at the Cairo 2022 World Cup.

Esha won two gold in team events, while also clinching a spectacular individual silver in the 10m air pistol category to cap off a fine visit to Egypt. Her two golds came in two different categories, one coming in the 25m pistol team while the other came in the 10m air pistol team, a brilliant example of her versatility.

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