On the firing line, the world becomes quiet. Every sound fades into breath, rhythm, and silence. In that stillness stands a young man who has quietly changed India’s shooting future. Samrat Rana, born in 2005, is only 20 in 2025. Yet he is already a world champion in the 10m Air Pistol event. His journey was not full of fame or flash. It was built on patience, precision, and years of practice.
From Junior Wins to World Champion, Samrat Rana ready to shine
Before Samrat Rana became a world champion, he became a winner. At the 2022 ISSF Junior World Championships in Cairo, he won two gold medals in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol Team Junior and the Mixed Team Junior events. In qualification, he paired with India’s top young shooters like Manu Bhaker and Esha Singh. The mixed team gold showed his steady mindset and ability to handle pressure. Even then, his scores showed great promise and small gaps that needed work.
When he entered the senior level, Samrat faced tougher challenges. At the 2025 ISSF World Cup in Ningbo, he shot 582-20x and finished 10th. The final cutoff was 582-25x, just five inner 10s away. It was a tough result, but also a lesson. His scores showed that he was close to the world’s best. “It was not a question of capacity,” one coach said. “It was about consistency under pressure.”
Samrat trained in Dehradun, home to the famous Jaspal Rana Shooting Academy. Though not coached directly by Jaspal Rana, he grew in the same disciplined environment that built India’s best pistol shooters.
Then came Cairo 2025. In qualification, Samrat and Varun Tomar both shot 586, finishing first and second, a historic moment for India. In the final, Samrat stayed calm and focused. “He was disciplined almost ruthlessly so,” said an official. While China’s Hu Kai faltered, Samrat rose. Shot by shot, he took control. When the dust settled, Samrat Rana had become India’s first-ever Men’s 10m Air Pistol World Champion.
Samrat’s story is not just about one medal. It is about belief. It shows that India can win anywhere, against anyone. At just 20, Samrat Rana has already made history. And yet, his real journey seems to have only just begun.
ALSO READ Malolan Rangarajan Named Head Coach of RCB Women for New WPL Season
