Munish Sood
MANDI:
Shooters from the Lakhanpal Shooting Sports Academy in Mandi showcased their talent at the 30th Himachal Pradesh State Shooting Championship, held in Dhaulakuan, Sirmaur district, where they secured an impressive total of 21 medals across various categories.

The championship featured competitions for both men and women across different age groups, highlighting the skills and consistency of emerging shooters from all over Himachal Pradesh.

In the under-12 boys’ division, Greek Minhas took home the gold in the 10m air pistol event, while Advik Yadav earned the silver. In the girls’ under-12 category, Ridansha Chandran also claimed the gold medal.

The academy's success continued with Arna Dubey, who excelled in the women’s categories, winning three gold medals in the under-16, under-19, and under-21 events. Arpita Sharma also shone in the senior women’s events, securing two gold medals in the 25m and 50m competitions.

Strong show by men’s contingent

The men's events were equally impressive, with Sarthak Lakhanpal emerging as a standout performer, winning four gold medals and two silver medals across the 10m, 25m, and 50m events.

In the junior boys’ category, Arman Verma earned a silver medal in the 10m air pistol, while Aditya Rana contributed another silver in the junior NR 10m air pistol event. Vaibhav Jagota further enhanced the medal count with three gold medals in the men’s 10m, 25m, and 50m categories.

Ajay Lakhanpal, the academy's director, expressed immense pride in their accomplishments, stating, “Winning 21 medals at the state level is a significant honor. Our shooters have not only brought prestige to the academy but also to Mandi district. Their commitment and discipline are truly commendable.”

In addition to the medalists, numerous other shooters from the academy, including Prince Sharma, Aditya Sharma, Akanksha Thakur, Ayan Gupta, Gurdev Singh, Arnav Thakur, Anvit Mahajan, Vaibhav Sharma, Chinmay Sharma, Mehul Lakhanpal, Anvesh Sharma, Shivam Thakur, Ankita Singh Chauhan, Tawishi Sharma, and Ilyas Khan, have qualified for upcoming national-level competitions.

These talented shooters will represent Himachal Pradesh at the North Zone, All India Kumar Surendra Inter-School, and Pre-National Championships, raising hopes for further achievements on larger platforms.