Talented Shooter: Rakshit Shastry

Shooting is one of the competitive sporting events in the world sporting scene. With the exploits of Abhinav Bindra in the Olympics, Indian shooting got an uplift and many have taken up this sport. Mysuru also has it's share of success in the shooting field with multi-talented youngster Rakshit Shastry becoming the first Mysurean to get selected for the Indian team trials in the 10m Air Pistol event after his excellent performance in the 62nd National Rifle Shooting Championship-2018 which concluded in Tiruvananthapuram, Kerala last week. Rakshit had a overall score of 568 out of 600 with 16-inner 10's and is one among the four Karnataka shooters selected for the Indian team trials to be held in Delhi. He is our 'Star This Week.' Rakshit finished 28th in 10m Air Pistol event in Nationals and 50th in 50m Free Pistol event. Rakshit, a BE (Mech); M. Tech (Product Design); MBA (HRM), works as a Technical Purchase Engineer at Vyoda Pvt. Ltd., sister concern of N. Ranga Rao & Sons in Mysuru. Rakshit is the son of R. Rajalakshmi. Encouraged by his mother and Arjun Ranga and Vishnu Ranga of Ranga Rao & Sons, Mysuru, he took up shooting in 2015 after seeing his friend Vipul shooting. Rakshit won his first State-level medal in Open Sight Air Rifle after 14-days of training under Ex-Army Marksman Suresh M. Subanna, Hon. Secretary, Mysore District Rifle Shooting Association (MDRSA). Rakshit has so far won 46 State and National medals and emerged as the Champion of Champion shooter in MDRSA, finished third in All India G.V. Mavalankar National Championship at Mumbai. He emerged as the champion in the 25 Standard and Centre Fire Pistol event in the Karnataka Olympic Games 2018. He has represented Karnataka in the Nationals for the last two years. A multi-talented sports person, Rakshit is a Black belt holder in Karate and has won laurels in National level. He was selected for Karate-do and Kobudo World Tournament in Okinawa '03. Rakshit also is a swimmer who has won medals in the State-level competitions. Rakshit also played Table Tennis and was the VTU South Zone Champion in 2012. He was recognised and felicitated by Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan for creating virtual tour of Knowledge Park and Audiometric Block at AIISH, Mysuru.