Fourteen-year-old Pranju Shree Somani is an example of how tapping talent at the grassroots can yield rich dividend.
A product of the Topgun Shooting Academy in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Pranju’s success in the short span since she took up shooting at 11 is a result of former India shooter Shimon Sharif’s foresight.
While inaugurating the academy in 2018, Shimon had hoped that the initiative would be a boon for shooters in the state of Chhattisgarh.
“Till now there are no international or national level shooters from the state and we are here to share our knowledge and experience with the aim to help people from the state reach that level in the coming years,” he had said.
He has been proved right.
Under coach Gopal Dubey, the academy has produced many national shooters in the last five years, making it the nursery of talent in Chhattisgarh.
Pranju is a case in point. Her list of achievements is long, and the latest in line is the India Open, which concluded in Mhow earlier this week.
Conducted by the National Rifle Association of India, Pranju stood out in the competitive field with a rich haul of 3 silver and bronze in 10m air rifle. The icing on the cake was a personal best score of 627.2.
The current edition is a huge leap considering she had scores of 610, 614 and 619 at the last three National Championships.
At the 2023 India Open, it was a silver for her in sub-youth women.
The 2021 Chhattisgarh State Shooting Championship was another landmark event with Pranju returning with 4 gold in the senior, junior, youth and sub-youth categories.
For one so young, Pranju’s resume already reads like a veteran’s, with three appearances at the Nationals and she has qualified for the national selection trials.
Backed by Shimon’s 30 years’ experience in the sport, the Topgun Shooting Academy is a leading name for professional coaching in the country, and has produced multiple shooters of international repute across the country.