A Journey into the World of Archery
Archery has a long history in the sporting circuit. It dates back thousands of years when it was primarily used for hunting and warfare. In mythology, there is usage of archery and some of the greatest archers are mentioned in history. The sport traced back to ancient civilisations like Egypt, India, and Greece. This was essential in combat and hunting, where accuracy and ability determined the difference between life and death.
Archery also held symbolic importance. This represented bravery, wisdom, and strength. Some of the famous historical figures like Robin Hood and legendary warriors such as Arjuna from the Indian epic Mahabharata. They are linked to the image of archery. This showcases the mythological and cultural importance of the sports and its rich history. In modern times the sport has evolved in different forms. Nowadays Archery has a different meaning in the countries some use it for recreational shooting and some for professional competitions.
Archery: The Timeless Skill of Precision, Power
Archery is a sport, practice, or skill that involves shooting arrows with a bow. The name derives from the Latin arcus, which means bow. Archery is now enjoyed by people all over the world for both recreational and competitive purposes, with tight rules governing its practice at events such as the Olympics and World Archery Championships. Archers Shoot arrows at a target, which is often made up of concentric circles with varying point values, from a specified distance.
To score the most points, strike the bullseye, which is located in the bullseye. The competition may vary depending on distance, target size, and shooting posture. To succeed, archers must master a variety of skills, including aiming, release technique, and breathing control. India over the years has had a deep-rooted history of sports. It dates back to Indian Mythology Mahabharata where Arjuna was called the best archer of his time. But for me, Ekalavya was the best archer in Indian mythology. We will look at some of the best Indian archers of the modern-day era.
Here’s the List of the Best Indian Archers
10. Pravin Jadhav
Jadhav showcased his talent in the Tokyo Olympics. He stepped out as the best archer for Indian men’s individuals in the Tokyo Olympics. Pravin Jadhav won a silver medal in the Men’s Team event at the World Cup. Except for archery, he has taken been a part of the Indian Army under sports quota since 2017. The Maharashtrian archer was knocked out from the first round of the Paris Olympics 2024.
9. Bombayla Devi Laishram
Bombayla Devi is another world-champion archer. She has been representing India at international events since 2007. The Manipuri-archer has won a silver medal at the World Archery Championships. She won four gold, five silver, and four bronze medals at various editions of the Archery World Cup. The 39-year-old won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games with the recurve team in 2010.
8. Atanu Das
The West Bengal-born archer represents India in the recurve men’s individual and team events. Atanu Das won the silver at the 2011 World Youth Championships. In 2013, he won bronze medals in recurve archery for both men’s and mixed teams at the Asian Archery Grand Prix in Thailand. He earned a bronze medal in the mixed team event with fellow archer Deepika Kumari. He is married to the World. No.1 Indian archer since 2020.
7. Tarundeep Rai
The Sikkimese archer won India’s first silver medal in individual archery at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. In addition, he was a part of the Indian archery squad that won bronze at the 15th Asian Games in Doha in 2006. Tarundeep received the Arjuna Award in 2005 and the Padma Shri in 2021 for his achievements. He also earned the Khel Ratna Award in 2018.
6. Laxmi Rani Majhi
The Jharkhand-born archer is a recurve archer. Laxmi Rani Majhi finished 4th in the Individual Event, losing out on the Bronze Medal. In the Women’s team recurve event, she won the silver medal at the 2015 World Archery Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. The archer was part of the 2016 Rio Olympics as well.
5. Jyothi Surekha Vennam
Surekha Vennam is a compound archer for India. The Andhra-Pradesh archer won several gold medals in compound archery at the Archery World Cup, World Archery Championships, and Asian Games. In 2023, she became the first Indian archer to win a gold medal at the World Archery Championships. She won many gold medals at the Asian Games.
4. Abhishek Verma
Abhishek is also a compound archer for India. The 35-year-old won the gold medal in the men’s compound archery team event in the 2014 Asian Games. Along with the silver medal in the men’s compound event. Abhishek Verma won a gold medal in the compound men’s section at the Archery World Cup Stage 3 in Wroclaw, Poland.
3. Dola Banerjee
The West Bengal archer represented India at the Youth Championships in 1996. At that time she was 16 years old. The former archer has 55 international appearances in her 20-year career. She won the World Championship in 2007. The 44-year-old was the first Indian woman to qualify for the individual archery event at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
2. Limba Ram
The Rajasthan-born archer featured in three Olympic Games, which is a remarkable achievement. Limba Ram won a gold medal at the 1989 Asian Games. He earned his second gold medal at the Asian Championships in 1992. The former World No. 4 was awarded the Padma Shri Award in 2012. He also equalled an archery world record in 1992 at the Asian Archery Championships in Beijing.
1. Deepika Kumari
She is the best Indian archer at the moment. Deepika won numerous medals and honours. The Ranchi-born archer made headlines when she won two gold medals in individual and team events at the Commonwealth Games at the age of 16. The 30-year-old won individual gold medals at the Archery World Cup Stage 1. Next, she defeated Mexico by 5–1 in the final to win the gold in Paris.
These archers have made their name for themselves on the international stage. The upcoming archers will look to match their legacy win some more medals and perform on the biggest stages like the Olympics and World Championships. It has been a timeless sport that blends physical skill with mental focus. The modern sport makes it an engaging and rewarding pursuit for enthusiasts around the world.
Do you have any memory of watching your favourite archers perform for their nations? Let us know in the comments. For more such updates about archery and other sports follow sportsdrip.co.
