Olympian Suma with "Lakshya" aims for Olympic Medallists

Twenty years after starting the Lakshya Shooting Club, Olympian shooter, Asian gold medallist and former Indian coach, Suma Siddharth Shirur is set to bolster India's Olympic shooting ambitions.The Axis Bank- Lakshya Shooting Club High Performance Centre at CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai was inaugurated by Olympic shooting medallist Gagan Narang last week.And,that was the moment she did all her work for.When we do things out of love and passion everything is possible.For sure,her strong resolve and determination would pay off.

The Centre brings together advanced training, sports science and athlete support under one roof, aims to act as a world-class, completely para-inclusive hub, and comprehensive athlete development programme to identify and nurture India’s talent in shooting and provide a world class training and coaching platform for India’s top shooters to prepare for greater success at the Olympic level.

The Lakshya Shooting Club, established in 2006, has spent two decades scouting and developing India’s shooting talent, with its athletes achieving success at the national and international levels, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the World
Championships. Its success stories include Avani Lekhara, a three-time Paralympic medallist with gold medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and Parth Mane, Junior World Champion in 2024 and team silver medallist at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.

The new six storey Centre builds on this deep expertise and experience, housing two dedicated 10-metre shooting ranges, strength and conditioning facilities, biomechanics assessment, physiotherapy, sports psychology, nutrition support, recovery spaces and residential facilities under a single roof. The Centre adopts a focused athlete-development structure encompassing Elite Residency, Day Scholar and Development programmes providing distinct pathways for athletes at different stages of their journey. While the Centre shall primarily focus on elite athletes preparing for
international competition, Lakshya’s wider network of centres shall continue to feed and nurture emerging talent.

By combining best-in-class coaching with scientific assessment and individualised athlete support, the Centre aims to prepare shooters for the technical, physical and psychological demands of global competition. "While our shooters are already making their mark globally, the potential to achieve even greater success is tremendous. Through our partnership with Lakshya Shooting Club, we are committed to providing aspiring and elite athletes with access to world-class infrastructure, coaching and technical support. Our ambition is to help create an environment where talent can thrive, champions can be nurtured, and India’s shooting excellence can continue to scale new heights.”Vijay Mulbagal,

Axis Bank said. “When we started Lakshya in 2006, we had a simple dream: to give shooters the opportunities, guidance and support they needed to realise their potential. Over the years, seeing athletes we have worked with win Paralympic gold medals and world titles has been deeply fulfilling. It has also reinforced our belief that talent needs the right ecosystem to flourish. This Centre is the next chapter of that journey. For me, it is much more than a building or a set of world-class facilities. It is about creating an environment where our best athletes can prepare to take on the world, where every aspect of their performance is supported, and where the dream of an Olympic medal feels within reach." Suma Shirur said.

Suma might have gained a lot from her coach Gaby Buhlmann in her athletic days.As a coach,I found her very much aware of the points scored by all shooters in qualification round even.And,how perfectly she explains the performance.I still remember my interview with her during Hangzhou Asian Games.
The Axis Bank Lakshya Shooting Club High Performance Centre represents the next phase of its mission to strengthen India’s pursuit of excellence in shooting sport.Let's wish Suma and Siddharth the very best.