NRAI asks ministry to include shooters Angad, Manisha, Preeti in Asiad contingent

New Delhi: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has requested the Sports Ministry to include the names of three shotgun shooters -- skeet marksman Angad Veer Singh Bajwa and women's trap shooters Manisha Keer and Preeti Rajak -- in the Asian Games contingent to raise the country's medal hopes at the continental event.

The NRAI, in its provisional list for the Asian Games scheduled to commence in Hangzhou, China on September 23, had recommended all three shooters to be included in the contingent but the ministry removed their names from the final list issued last week.

Angad Veer achieved the qualifying mark set by the ministry at the ongoing ISSF World Championships in Baku, while the trio of Manisha, Preeti and Rajeshwari Kumari finished fifth in the team trap event at the Worlds. The women's trap team, following its performance in Baku, is ranked second in Asia behind China and fifth in the world. Rajeshwari also secured a Paris Olympic quota for the country at the World Championships.

Now, with Angad having shot 121 at the World Championships and attained the ministry's laid-down qualification norm -- an eight-place score in the previous Asian Games -- the NRAI has asked the government to clear his name along with the two women trap shooters.

"We are trying to get the names of Manisha, Preeti and Angad cleared from the ministry for the Asian Games. The representation is already with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials. We are struggling or fighting to get these three names cleared," NRAI secretary Rajeev Bhatia told PTI on Monday.