NRAI launches dedicated travel portal for athletes through Balmer Lawrie partnership

The National Rifle Association of India has partnered with Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd. to launch a dedicated self-booking travel platform for athletes, officials and members. The initiative offers corporate travel benefits and aims to simplify domestic travel for around 80,000 registered shooters

Hyderabad: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd. The partnership introduces a customised Self-Booking Tool (SSBT) to streamline domestic travel logistics for athletes, members and technical officials.

The initiative marks the first time an Indian sports federation has established a dedicated corporate travel system for its members. The digital portal covers both official and personal domestic travel, giving shooters complete autonomy over their travel schedules. The system is designed to directly support the federation’s base of around 80,000 registered shooters, particularly during national and state tournaments conducted across the country.

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Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President, NRAI, said, “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.”

The online platform grants users exclusive access to discounted corporate fares on domestic routes, along with complimentary meals and preferred seat selection. Crucially, all corporate discounts and service privileges are extended to the personal bookings of athletes under a single login framework.

For family support, the tool features a dependent management module, allowing users to add up to six family members. The agreement also guarantees a zero service fee structure, with only standard payment gateway fees applicable and minimal cancellation charges aligned with domestic airline policies.

Pawankumar Singh, Secretary General, NRAI, said, “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.”

The NRAI and Balmer Lawrie’s Travel & Vacations division are currently integrating the secure database to enable the immediate rollout. The certified digital system fully complies with industry standards, ensuring transparent and up-to-date domestic flight information.