Pandemic hits Indian shooting accessories manufacturer hard but owner remains optimistic

The shooters have figured a way to resume action amid the lockdown but the fortunes of an Indian company that exports shooting accessories to over 70 countries have nose-dived and its "visibility diminished" due to the stalling of all competitions by the COVID-19 pandemic.

These are not good times for Nilesh Rane, founder of Capapie Sports Equipments, who has over the years built a solid reputation of manufacturing world-class jackets, trousers, shoes and hand gloves for rifle shooters.

Rane, a former national-level rifle shooter himself, prefers to remain optimistic even in the worst of times and is confident that the company will wriggle out of it as things get better with time.

"Revenue has also taken a hit," he told PTI when asked about his business that was flourishing till the novel coronavirus intervened by taking the form of a pandemic.

With world in lockdown and shipments restricted, he is not able to export his produce to the countries whose top shooters normally rely on ...