TOISA 2025 Nominees: Honouring India’s para shooting stars

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards is set to celebrate the inspiring journeys and achievements of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines. The much anticipated ceremony will take place on March 21, 2026 in Lucknow, bringing together sporting icons and emerging stars who made the nation proud over the past year.TOISA 2025 will recognise performances during the evaluation period from January 1 to December 31, 2025. More than 45 sporting categories will highlight achievements across global championships and major international tournaments. Winners will be chosen by a distinguished jury of legends including Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Devendra Jhajharia, Sharath Kamal and Leander Paes. Here are the para shooting players nominated for TOISA 2025:Rubi Kumari delivered a breakthrough season in 2025 in the P3 25m Pistol SH1 event.

The shooter from Sonipat secured a silver medal at the WSPS World Cup in Al Ain and set a new national record in qualification at the 6th National Para Shooting Championship. She also won gold in the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol event at the Khelo India Para Games. Her consistent podium finishes helped her break into the global Top 10 rankings for the first time, making 2025 a defining year in her career.Avani Lekhara continued her dominance on the international stage with another outstanding season.

She won gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the WSPS World Cup in Al Ain and added two silver medals in other rifle events at the same competition. Avani retained her World No. 1 ranking in the SH1 category for the fourth consecutive year and was also named Sportswoman of the Year in para sports at the Indian Sports Awards 2025, reinforcing her status as one of the leading figures in para shooting.Mona Agarwal enjoyed a highly successful year highlighted by a silver medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Changwon World Cup.

She also won gold and two silver medals at the Khelo India Para Games. At the 6th National Para Shooting Championship she dominated the field with five medals, including two golds. Throughout the season she remained among the Top 3 shooters in the world rankings, underlining her remarkable consistency.Sandeep Kumar emerged as one of India’s leading para pistol shooters in 2025 after winning gold in the P3 25m Pistol Mixed SH1 event at the World AbilitySport Games in Thailand.

He also finished among the top performers at the national championships and consistently reached final rounds during the World Cup series, highlighting his reliability in the 25m mixed pistol discipline.Nihal Singh strengthened his position among the world’s best shooters during the season. He won an individual silver medal in the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 event at the Changwon World Cup and also contributed to a team gold alongside Bhat Amir Ahmad and Rahul Jakhar.

Singh delivered another impressive showing at the Khelo India Para Games and maintained the World No. 2 ranking in his category, confirming his place among the global contenders.Rudransh Khandelwal enjoyed a sensational breakthrough year. The young shooter lit up the Changwon World Cup with a five medal haul that included gold in the P1 10m Air Pistol event along with three silvers and a bronze. He later added another World Cup gold in Al Ain in the mixed 50m pistol event.

During the season he set a junior world record in the P1 Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 event and also established a national record score of 244.2 at the 2025 National Championships.Bhat Amir Ahmad reached a historic milestone in 2025 by becoming the first Indian para pistol shooter to achieve the World No. 1 ranking in the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 category. His season included a gold medal at the Changwon World Cup and gold and bronze medals in Al Ain. Across just two international competitions he secured five medals, including three golds, highlighting his remarkable consistency and dominance.As TOISA 2025 approaches, these para shooting stars represent the dedication, resilience and excellence that continue to elevate India’s presence in global para sports.