National Rifle Association of India Welcomes Appointment of Shri Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore as Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports

New Delhi, September 03, 2017: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the governing body for the sport of Shooting in India, has welcomed the appointment of Shri Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore as the Hon. Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Government of India.

Shri Rathore, besides being an Olympic Silver medalist in Shooting, has won a medal in every top global and continental shooting competition, including the World Championship, World Cup Finals, World Cup stage, Asian Games as well as Asian Championship.

Speaking on the appointment of Shri Rathore, the NRAI President Shri Raninder Singh said, “I want to lead the federation and the entire shooting fraternity in congratulating Shri Rathore on his appointment. He has been one of the most distinguished members of the Shooting family for years and his stellar achievements speak for themselves. His work in the Union Council of Ministers had already come in for a lot of praise and we strongly believe that knowing first-hand the challenges faced by sports and sportspersons in this country, he would add immense value to the development and growth of sports. We wish him all the very best in his new responsibility.”

Shri Rathore’s Silver medal in Men’s Double Trap Shooting at the Athens Olympics in 2004, made him the first ever Indian shooter to win a medal at the Olympics and at the time he was also only the fourth Indian post independence to win an individual Olympic medal. His efforts inspired the entire shooting fraternity which went on to add three more Olympic medals to their kitty, including the country’s only individual Gold medal won by Abhinav Bindra in Beijing in 2008.