She’s barely old enough to be in middle school, yet Marpi Karlo is already punching her ticket to a national stage.
The 11-year-old from Lower Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh has qualified for the National Shooting Championship Competition (NSCC) — and she did it the hard way, outperforming competitors at one of the region’s most competitive shooting events.
A Score That Speaks Louder Than Words
At the 13th North East Zone Shooting Championship held in Guwahati from August 25 to 30, Karlo scored an impressive 369 out of 400 — a number that’s hard to ignore regardless of age, let alone for someone in Class 7. The performance earned her qualification in both the Sub-Youth and Youth categories, a double achievement that few competitors walk away with. It’s the kind of result that makes you stop and think: this isn’t a fluke. This is a girl who’s been putting in real work.
From VKV Nirjuli to New Delhi
Karlo is a Class 7 student at VKV Nirjuli — a school, not a shooting academy. Which makes what she’s pulled off even more impressive. She will now represent Arunachal Pradesh at the National Shooting Championship Competition in New Delhi, a platform where the country’s finest junior shooters compete. It’s a long way from home, and an even longer way for someone her age. But if her performance in Guwahati says anything, it’s that she belongs there.
APRA Stands Behind Their Rising Star
The Arunachal Pradesh Rifle Association (APRA) congratulated the young shooter on her achievement, saying her performance reflects her dedication, discipline and commitment to the sport. Those aren’t just feel-good words — discipline at 11 years old, in a sport as technically demanding as rifle shooting, is genuinely rare. APRA president Chukhu Apa congratulated Karlo and expressed confidence that the young shooter would continue to perform strongly and achieve further success. That kind of institutional backing matters. Young athletes grow faster when they know someone’s in their corner.
A Family’s Pride, A State’s Hope
Karlo is the daughter of Jummar Karlo, and her qualification isn’t just a personal milestone — it puts Arunachal Pradesh back in the national conversation around emerging shooting talent. The Northeast has long been a region that punches above its weight in sports. Marpi Karlo could well be the next name from this corner of India that the rest of the country learns to remember.
Eleven years old. A 369 out of 400. A national championship on the horizon. Marpi Karlo hasn’t even scratched the surface of what she’s capable of — and that might be the most exciting part of this whole story.
