As indianshooting.com celebrates its 20th anniversary, the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has expressed its appreciation for the platform’s unwavering dedication to promoting shooting sport over the past two decades.
In a letter addressed to former shooter Shimon Sharif, founder of indianshooting.com, Luciano Rossi, President of the ISSF, praised the platform’s vital role in bridging the gap between shooters, fans, and the media.
“On behalf of the ISSF, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering dedication to promoting shooting sport over the past two decades. Since 2005, indianshooting.com has played a crucial role in bridging the gap between shooters, fans, and the media, ensuring that our sport receives the recognition it truly deserves,” said Rossi.
He further highlighted the platform’s consistent efforts in covering key events, recognizing athlete achievements, and fostering engagement within the shooting community.
“Your commitment to covering key events, highlighting athlete achievements, and fostering engagement within the shooting community has significantly contributed to the sport’s growth. Your efforts have not only brought shooting closer to audiences in India but have also strengthened its global presence,” he added.
Rossi commended the passion and professionalism of indianshooting.com and expressed optimism on its contribution to the sport. “As we celebrate this milestone, we commend your passion and professionalism and look forward to your continued contributions to the sport. Thank you for being a steadfast advocate for shooting and for inspiring future generations of athletes and fans.”
Two decades ago, when Indian shooting was still searching for global recognition and consistent success, one platform quietly began charting a course that would run parallel to the sport’s meteoric rise. indianshooting.com started in 2005 as a niche effort to provide coverage to an underrepresented sport, and has now become an integral part of India’s shooting ecosystem.
indianshooting.com is not just a website, it is a mission. Long before mainstream media gave shooting its due, the platform was telling stories of India’s shooters — celebrating their highs, analyzing the lows, and offering insight that no one else dared to explore.
Reflecting 20 years of innovation, resilience, and a relentless commitment to elevating the sport, indianshooting.com has grown into a cornerstone of India’s shooting community.
“The idea of a shooting website first struck me after I came back from competing in the Changwon World Cup in 2003,” said Sharif. In 2004, when Rajyavardhan Rathore won India’s first individual Olympic silver medal at the Athens Games, interest in shooting began to grow.
“Our sport needed a website, and I gave it one. I tried to load it with as much information as possible. Within days, emails started pouring in from all corners of the country. Everyone wanted to know more about our sport,” Sharif recalled.
Sharif, who first made his mark in competitive shooting in 1995, recognized early on that India’s shooting scene lacked a centralized digital presence. At a time when the internet was still finding its footing in India, he took a bold step by launching indianshooting.com to bridge the gap.
The website quickly gained recognition, earning a place in the Limca Book of Records as the nation’s first of its kind. On April 5, 2005, the website was officially inaugurated by Rathore at an event attended by members of the Indian shooting team and National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) officials.
The website’s true test came during the COVID-19 pandemic. With ranges closed and competitions halted, Sharif leveraged indianshooting.com to pioneer a new frontier: Online shooting. The platform hosted multiple editions of the International Online Shooting Championship and a month-long Online Shooting League. These virtual tournaments, streamed to thousands, featured top shooters from around the world and kept the sport’s spirit alive. “It was a lifeline for the community,” said Sharif, who turned a crisis into an opportunity.