Pune, April 22 The first edition of the Shooting League of Maharashtra (SLM) wrapped up successfully, with Sobo Giants clinching the inaugural title.
In a tightly fought Mixed Team final, Sobo Giants took the victory with a decisive 17-7 win against Palghar Golden Finger. Aamhi Punekar earned third place, narrowly defeating Sangli Alpha Lions 16-14.
The league marks an important milestone in the development of the Shooting League of India (SLI), helping establish a structured competitive pathway for the sport.
The SLM is now the second state-level league in India, following the successful launch of the Shooting League of Karnataka earlier this year. This marks the start of a broader, structured ecosystem for the sport across the country.
These state-level leagues are key to the long-term vision of the Shooting League of India, aiming to enhance the sport’s visibility and attract a larger fan base.
The league united emerging and established shooters from across Maharashtra, with particular emphasis on participants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. It also showcased how a team-based league format can connect grassroots involvement with elite performance.
By combining competition and entertainment, the SLM created a platform that highlights talent and inspires aspiration. This is essential as Indian shooting advances toward a franchise-driven ecosystem with SLI.
Anjali Bhagwat, former World No. 1, Olympian, and one of India’s most decorated rifle shooters, said, "This format and experience will definitely help in shaping the Shooting League of India. It is the best way to nurture talent and prepare shooters for the demands of the sport, especially by exposing them to match pressure in front of a live audience."
Deepali Deshpande, former Olympian in the air rifle category, as well as Arjuna Awardee and Dronacharya Awardee, said, "This was a collective effort by the entire Maharashtra Rifle Association ecosystem – players, coaches, officials and organisers. To see it come together so successfully in its first year is extremely satisfying, and it gives us confidence to come back even stronger next year."
Ronak Pandit, another prominent Indian shooter, who also serves as an Indian National Shooting Team Coach, High Performance Manager, and co-owner of Mumbai X Caliber, stated, "Leagues like this are important to make shooting more engaging and accessible. The idea is to move beyond the perception of the sport being purely technical and bring it closer to people. Maharashtra already has tremendous depth of talent, and initiatives like this will only strengthen that ecosystem further."
Pandit’s SLI team, Mumbai X Caliber, has a notable presence within the SLM ecosystem, with co-owner Zahir Hawa acting as the Air Pistol Coach for the Sobo Giants, winners of the title. This highlights the increasing links between state-level leagues and the emerging national franchise system in the SLI.
Beyond team success, the league also celebrated individual and squad excellence:
Best Rifle Shooter: Gojiri (Amravati Dhurandhar) – 55 hits
Best Pistol Shooter: Jaj (Sobo Giants) – 42 hits
Best Rifle Team: Amravati Dhurandhar – 89 total rifle hits
Best Pistol Team: Sobo Giants – 72 total pistol hits
--IANS
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