Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the archers for their rare feat and highlighted their exceptional consistency at the 24th Asian Archery Championships 2025.
India produced its best-ever performance at the Championships held in Dhaka by winning a total of 10 medals, including 6 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze.
PM Modi tweeted on his X account by congratulating the Archery team on their best ever performance at the Asian Archery Championships 2025.
The standout moments included first-ever individual recurve gold medals for India by Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat, as well as a long-awaited men’s recurve team gold after an 18-year gap.
The championships saw fierce competition from 29 nations and over 200 athletes, with India emerging as the top medal-winning country. This historic success is expected to boost the nation’s archery ecosystem, inspire budding archers, and pave the way for stronger performances in future global tournaments.
Historic Achievements Highlight India’s Rise
India’s campaign at Dhaka was marked by a series of landmark victories that rewrote the country’s archery history. Ankita Bhakat stunned the reigning Olympic silver medallist, Nam Suhyeon of South Korea, in the women’s individual recurve final, marking India’s first-ever gold in this category at the Asian level.
Bhakat’s win was celebrated for her composure under pressure and consistent shooting, finishing the final 7-3 in sets.
Meanwhile, Dhiraj Bommadevara became the first Indian male archer to claim the men’s individual recurve title, defeating compatriot Rahul Rahul 6-2 in an all-India final. This victory ended South Korea’s hold on this category, marking a major breakthrough.
The men’s recurve team, including Rahul Rahul, Atanu Das, and Yashdeep Bhoge, also clinched the gold with a thrilling 5-4 shoot-off win over South Korea, ending a 12-year dominance of the Korean team in the event.
The women’s compound team, comprising Deepshikha, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and Prithika Pradeep, continued their excellent form with a gold medal, while the mixed compound team shared the podium with a gold medal finish as well.
PM Narendra Modi lauded the archers, tweeting, “Congratulations to our archery team on their best ever performance in the Asian Archery Championships 2025. Their historic recurve men’s gold after 18 years is truly inspiring. This feat will motivate many upcoming athletes.”
Archery Association of India President Dr Arjun Munda emphasised that “the medals reflect years of discipline, preparation, and the growing global competitiveness of our archers.”
The Indian contingent’s composure, mental strength, and teamwork were widely cited as key to overcoming tough competition from traditional powerhouses such as South Korea, China, and Japan.
Strategic Growth and Future Prospects
India’s historic medal haul is no accident but the result of sustained investments in infrastructure, grassroots programmes, scientific coaching, and competitive exposure. Following the Tokyo Olympics and subsequent high-performance initiatives, the Indian archery ecosystem has seen remarkable progress in nurturing talent.
This edition’s dual individual recurve golds and team titles underscore the maturity of India’s growing pool of elite archers who are now able to challenge and conquer longstanding Asian champions.
The Archery Federation has announced plans to expand training facilities, increase grassroots outreach, and enhance international exposure for promising athletes to sustain this momentum.
The historic wins are expected to energise preparations for upcoming global tournaments like the World Cup series and the Paris 2024 Olympics, where India aims to translate continental success into world-level podiums. Coaches and sports analysts believe this generation of archers is set to raise India’s profile considerably on the international stage.
A notable highlight was the performance of young archers like Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara, whose breakthroughs have given India a new surge of confidence in recurve events traditionally dominated by East Asian nations.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This extraordinary success in Dhaka reflects the power of perseverance, vision, and national solidarity in sport.
It demonstrates how focused investment in athletes, combined with their passion and dedication, can challenge deeply rooted hierarchies and bring global recognition.
The triumph offers a message far beyond sports: it is about hope, unity, and progress achieved through peaceful and disciplined endeavour.
At a time when society values harmony and cooperation, India’s victory reminds us how sport can inspire social cohesion, kindness, and shared pride.
