NRAI Signs MoU with Balmer Lawrie to Launch Dedicated Travel Portal for 80,000 Registered Shooters

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd. to introduce a dedicated Self-Booking Tool (SSBT) aimed at streamlining domestic travel for athletes, members and technical officials.

Announced in New Delhi on July 16, the initiative marks the first time an Indian sports federation has introduced a dedicated corporate travel system for its members. The customised digital platform will cater to the federation's approximately 80,000 registered shooters, enabling them to manage both official and personal domestic travel through a single portal.

Dedicated Travel Solution for Shooters

The Self-Booking Tool has been designed to simplify travel logistics during the busy calendar of state and national shooting competitions. It allows users to independently book domestic travel while accessing exclusive corporate fares and travel benefits.

In addition to discounted airfares, the platform offers complimentary meal options, preferred seat selection and extends the same corporate travel privileges to athletes' personal bookings through a single login framework.

The system also includes a dependent management feature, allowing users to add up to six family members. Under the agreement, users will benefit from zero service fees, with only standard payment gateway charges applicable, while cancellation charges will follow domestic airline policies.

NRAI Aims to Reduce Athletes' Logistical Burden

"Managing domestic travel logistics during a packed season of state and national tournaments can be a major distraction for athletes. By launching this dedicated portal, we want to remove that operational burden entirely so our shooters can focus solely on their sport. This is a unique step for a sports federation in India, and we are proud to partner with Balmer Lawrie to make travel efficient," said Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President, NRAI.

The federation said the initiative forms part of its broader efforts to build a more athlete-centric support ecosystem by simplifying essential administrative processes.

"This partnership is another step towards creating a more athlete-friendly ecosystem. The dedicated travel portal will simplify domestic travel, provide cost-effective corporate benefits, and reduce the logistical burden on our athletes and officials. Our objective is to let shooters focus on performance while NRAI continues to improve the support systems around them," said Pawankumar Singh, Secretary General, NRAI.

Rollout Underway

NRAI and Balmer Lawrie's Travel & Vacations division are currently integrating the secure database to facilitate the immediate rollout of the platform. According to the organisations, the certified digital system complies with industry standards and will provide users with transparent, real-time domestic flight information.

The partnership is expected to enhance travel convenience for shooters participating in competitions across India while setting a new benchmark for athlete support services within Indian sports federations.

(Inputs from Press Release)