NRAI Hosts Five-Day ISSF EST Course to Strengthen Technical Expertise in Asia

New Delhi, August 12: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is hosting a five-day International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Electronic Scoring Target (EST) Course in New Delhi, bringing together technical officials from four Asian countries to strengthen expertise in electronic scoring systems and international competition standards.

The course began on August 10 at Crowne Plaza, New Delhi, and will conclude on August 14. It is being conducted by Jadranka Strukic of Croatia, with Robert Ferencak of Slovenia and India's Dhiraj Kumar Singh assisting as instructors.

A total of 28 participants from India, Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are attending the programme. The course is designed to provide officials with specialised knowledge and practical experience in operating Electronic Scoring Target systems in accordance with ISSF regulations.

The opening ceremony was attended by NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh, Treasurer M.S. Bhangle and Secretary Rajiv Bhatia. The officials welcomed the international delegation and highlighted the importance of continuous technical education in modern shooting.

"Hosting the ISSF EST Course in New Delhi is a proud moment for NRAI. Technology is at the very heart of modern shooting sport. Mastering Electronic Scoring Target systems ensures that our match administration consistently meets the highest global standards," NRAI President Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said.

He also pointed to India's growing pool of qualified technical officials, noting that the country has the largest number of ISSF Judges licence holders in the world as well as the largest number of EST licence holders. "This reflects the strong pool of qualified technical officials that India has developed over the years," he added.

NRAI Secretary General Pawankumar Singh underlined the importance of EST certification for officials seeking to work at major international competitions. "An EST licence is mandatory for judges to serve on Rifle and Pistol juries at international ISSF competitions, including the World Cups and the Olympic Games," Singh said.

He added that NRAI is incorporating similar standards into domestic competitions to give Indian officials greater exposure and prepare them for international assignments. "We are implementing these exact standards in domestic events to give our officials more opportunities on the global stage," he said. Singh also thanked the ISSF, particularly its president Luciano Rossi, for supporting the programme in India.

"I would like to sincerely thank the International Shooting Sport Federation, especially ISSF President Luciano Rossi, for giving us this opportunity to conduct the EST Course in India. We greatly appreciate the ISSF's continued support in strengthening the technical capabilities of officials in our sport," he said.

With electronic scoring technology playing an increasingly important role in global shooting competitions, the course focuses on ensuring officials can operate EST systems accurately while adhering to international match procedures.

The programme is also aimed at promoting regional knowledge sharing among shooting officials and strengthening competition management standards across Asia. The five-day course will conclude on August 14 with formal assessments for the participating officials.