On a bright afternoon last week, shooters enthusiastically targeted the clay birds hurled into the air by the machines at H.H. The Maharaja of Pudukottai Shooting Range.
The 14-acre facility, to be inaugurated on September 18, has been established by The Royal Pudukottai Sports Club in Avarangudipatti (Pudukottai district) at a cost of around Rs. 75 lakh.
Certified by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), it is situated about 35 km from Tiruchi city and has trap and skeet shooting ranges.
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The trap range has five stations and 15 imported machines while the skeet range has eight stations and two imported machines — one at the high house and the other at the low house. “It is a state-of-the-art facility and probably one of the best in the country for shotgun events,” said Prithviraj Tondaiman, an international trap shooter and secretary of The Royal Pudukottai Sports Club.
Mr. Tondaiman said the ranges would be open on all days for shooters to practise and two coaching camps will be conducted every year, one by an international coach, and another by a national medallist.
“We have plans to develop the range into a full-fledged shooting complex with facilities to conduct all shooting events,” he added. Membership is currently open for interested shooters.
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H.H. The Maharaja of Pudukottai Shooting Range will host the three-day 41st State shooting championship (shotgun events), organised by the Thanjavur Rifle Club, from September 18 that will see participation of more than 70 shooters.