Indian Archers Receive Robust Support Ahead of Asian Games 2026

Extensive Support for Archery Athletes

New Delhi [India] - As part of the preparations for the 2026 Asian Games and the upcoming stages of the Archery World Cup, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, along with the Sports Authority of India, is providing significant financial and performance support to top archers like Dhiraj Bommadevara and Jyothi Surekha Vennam. Both athletes are included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group.

Dhiraj, who will compete in the recurve category at the 2026 Asian Games, has received approximately Rs 66.28 lakh in support during the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle through TOPS. On the other hand, compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam has been granted nearly Rs 24.56 lakh in assistance, as stated in a recent press release.

Additionally, Jyothi has been allocated funds for a personalized Foreign Training Camp scheduled from July 20 to August 5, 2025, at the Beiter Archery Centre in Germany. TOPS has also funded the engagement of sports psychologist Shree Advani to enhance Jyothi's mental conditioning and readiness for international competitions.

This support is part of a comprehensive training program for the Indian archery team, which includes a recent foreign training camp in Mexico from March 26 to April 5, organized under NTPC CSR support at a cost of Rs 57.42 lakh. This camp featured several elite Indian archers, including Dhiraj, Jyothi, Deepika Kumari, and Atanu Das, providing them with essential international training experience ahead of the competitive season.

Moreover, preparations are ongoing through a Senior National Archery Coaching Camp at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Sonipat, running from May 20 to June 7. This camp has gathered 16 top archers from both recurve and compound categories, supported by coaches and sports science experts, focusing on building team dynamics, consistency, and readiness for medals at the Asian Games and World Cup stages.

To further refine their skills before the Aichi-Nagoya games, the archers set to compete in the Asian Games will participate in an exposure camp in Japan from September 5 to 18. The Asian Games 2026 is slated to take place from September 19 to October 4.