New Delhi [India], September 18 (ANI): At the launch occasion of the inaugural Archery Premier League, the president of the Archery Association of India (AAI), Arjun Munda, mentioned that the aim behind the league is to offer the ‘hidden skills’ publicity to world-class expertise and in addition added that, holding the Olympics 2028 and 2032 in thoughts, a international coach might be appointed for Team India.
48 archers had been divided amongst six franchises in the present day because the Archery Association of India formally launched the inaugural version of the Archery Premier League at a grand occasion in New Delhi. 36 Indian and 12 international archers had been picked within the draft as all groups shaped aggressive squads for the primary season. as per a press launch from APL.
Speaking to the media, Arjun mentioned, ‘We are beginning Archery Premier League in India. India is the primary nation to begin an archery league. The objective behind that is to offer publicity to our archers, make archery standard in India, however the world over as nicely. India is a rustic the place lots of people stay in rural areas and there may be many hidden skills there.’
‘The league is making an attempt to introduce a great quantity of archery expertise, who can rebuild the nation’s future within the sport. The crew’s have been chosen and so had been gamers in a transperant course of,’ he added.
During the World Archery Championships this month, India secured a complete of two medals. India secured their first-ever gold medal within the males’s compound archery crew occasion, whereas Rishabh Yadav and Jyothi Surekha Vennam received silver within the compound combined crew occasion, which is able to make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
Speaking on India’s historic exploits within the World Championships, Arjun mentioned that the gamers are working arduous and they’re getting nice steering from their coaches.
‘There is a expertise hunt programme by the Central authorities and NTPC. There is plenty of work occurring on the nationwide, state and district ranges. The outcomes are seen. We are making ready for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. With the 2028 and 2032 Olympics, we can even be appointing a international coach. The Indian authorities is doing plenty of work,’ he added.
Virendra Sachdeva, the secretary-general of India’s archery governing physique, mentioned that the league is an enormous alternative for the gamers.
‘It is a sport related to our tradition. It is expounded to our feelings. There shouldn’t be an individual who didn’t decide up a bow and arrow as a toddler. We had been making an attempt to begin off the league since years, talked to World Archery and the Asian physique about it, everybody preferred the concept. Players might be coming from overseas and our gamers will get loads of motivation by taking part in with them at their dwelling soil,’ he mentioned.
Continuing on India’s exploits in archery in the course of the World Championships, Virender thanked the central authorities, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
‘Our PM has a imaginative and prescient, that India will progress in the event that they excel in sports activities. World Cup, World Championships, Youth Championships, Asian video games, Asian Championships. There is not any place the place India has not received a medal. Olympic is left for us. We will win an Olympic medal,’ he added.
The franchises – Prithviraj Yodhas (New Delhi), Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra), Kakatiya Knights (Telangana), Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan), Chero Archers (Jharkhand), and Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu) – stacked up their squads for the upcoming season with stellar line-ups in an exciting draft that noticed a number of twists and turns.
The athletes had been draughted throughout eight rounds comprising three compound and three recurve archers every. To preserve equity, the sequence of selecting an athlete by a franchise was determined by a random draw throughout all eight rounds.
Below discover the complete squads for the franchises:
Teams:
Prithviraj Yodhas (Delhi): The crew for Delhi picked star Abhishek Verma, World No. 10, together with World No. 1 Compound Women archer Andrea Becerra, who was a part of the Compound Women Team that received Gold medal on the 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju, a part of the crew that received the Bronze medal on the Compound Mixed Team occasion, and in addition claimed Gold medal at Compound Women occasion.
Recurve Men: Matias Grande (World No. 6), Krish Kumar (World No. 1)Recurve Women: Gatha Anandrao (AAI Rank 3), Sharvari Somnath (AAI Rank 4)Compound Men: Abhishek Verma (World No. 10), Priyansh (World No. 15)Compound Women: Andrea Becerra (World No. 1), Pranjal Salve (AAI Rank 9)
Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra): World No. 1 Mike Schloesser, who was a part of the Compound Mixed Team that received the gold medal on the 2025 World Archery Championships, has been picked by the franchise, together with dual-Olympic medallist Alejandra Valencia. Along with Indian Olympian Dhiraj, the Marathas have formulated a strong squad. Aman Saini, chosen by the franchise, was additionally a part of the Compound Men Team that received a gold medal on the not too long ago concluded 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju.
Recurve Men: Bommadevara Dhiraj (World No. 14), Mrinal Chauhan (AAI Rank 7)Recurve Women: Alejandra Valencia (World No. 3), Bhajan Kaur (AAI Rank 6)Compound Men: Mike Schloesser (World No. 1), Aman Saini (AAI Rank 1)Compound Women: Parneet Kaur (World No. 17), Madhura D (AAI Rank 8)
Kakatiya Knights (Telangana): The Knights bolstered their squads with world-record holder Jyothi Surekha, who was additionally a part of the Compound Mixed Team that received the Silver medal on the 2025 World Archery Championships, and Olympian Elia Canales, who made a reputation in 2018 with a Silver medal on the Youth Olympic Games and was a part of the Recurve Mixed Team that received the Gold medal on the 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju.
Recurve Men: Neeraj Chauhan (AAI Rank 2), Rohit Kumar (AAI Rank 6)Recurve Women: Elia Canales (World No. 10), Tisha Punia (AAI Rank 8)Compound Men: Nico Wiener (World No. 3), Jignas (AAI Rank 8)Compound Women: Jyothi Surekha (World No. 3), Avneet Kaur (AAI Rank 5)
Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan): With Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Mete Gazoz and world No. 2 Ella Gibson amid their ranks, the Royals have shaped a stellar squad. Prathamesh Fuge, chosen by Rajputana, was additionally a part of the Compound Men Team that received the gold medal on the not too long ago concluded 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju.
Recurve Men: Mete Gazoz (World No. 7), Sachin Gupta (AAI Rank 8)Recurve Women: Ankita Bhakat (AAI Rank 2), Basanti Mahato (AAI Rank 5)Compound Men: Prathamesh Fuge (World No. 11), Ojas Pravin (AAI Rank 5)Compound Women: Ella Gibson (World No. 2), Swati Dudhwal (AAI Rank 7)
Chero Archers (Jharkhand): Chero Archers picked veteran Olympian Atanu Das and additional bolstered their recurve line-up with German Olympian archer and world medallist Katharina Bauer. They additionally had been capable of pay money for Mathias Fullerton, who received the silver medal on the Men’s Compound occasion on the World Archery Championships 2025.
Recurve Men: Rahul (AAI Rank 3), Atanu Das (AAI Rank 5)Recurve Women: Katharina Bauer (World No. 9), Kumkum Mohod (AAI Rank 7)Compound Men: Mathias Fullerton (World No. 2), Sahil Rajesh (AAI Rank 6)Compound Women: Prithika Pradeep (AAI Rank 3), Madala Hamsini (AAI Rank 6)
Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu): Chola Chiefs had been capable of decide five-time Olympic medallist USA’s Brady Ellison, who not too long ago was a part of the Recurve Men Team that received the Silver medal on the 2025 Archery World Championships in Gwangju, together with Indian Olympians Tarundeep Rai, and Deepika Kumari. They additionally picked World Record holder Rishabh Yadav, who was additionally a part of the Compound Men Team that received Gold medal on the recently-concluded 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju, and was additionally a part of the Compound Mixed Team that received the Silver medal in the identical match.
Recurve Men: Brady Ellison (World No. 1), Tarundeep Rai (AAI Rank 4)Recurve Women: Deepika Kumari (World No. 3), Anshika Kumari (AAI Rank 9)Compound Men: Rishabh Yadav (World No. 9), Pulkit (AAI Rank 9)Compound Women: Meeri-Marita Paas (World No. 5), Taniparthi Chikitha (AAI Rank 4)
After the completion of the draft, the AAI officers additionally launched the official anthem of the league together with a dynamic visible bundle and in addition introduced standard Indian actor and filmmaker Mr Ram Charan because the model ambassador.
President of the Archery Association of India Arjun Munda mentioned, ‘The launch of the Archery Premier League is a watershed second for the game within the nation. Through this league, we want to broaden our attain throughout India, together with rural and tribal areas. We are assured our archers will achieve large publicity via the league, which is able to put together them for future occasions. In 2023 and 2024, India completed in second place in World Rankings, and now our objective is to maneuver in direction of the primary place.’
Secretary General of the Archery Association of India, Virendra Sachdeva, mentioned, ‘We are elated to see that every one the franchises are nicely balanced and are fairly pleased with their squads. We are emotionally connected to the game, as it’s related to our historic and cultural roots. It took us a few years to fulfil our imaginative and prescient for the league, and we hope now that the league propels us to higher achievements, together with Olympic medals.’
Anil Kamineni, Director of Archery Premier League, additional added, ‘With help from World Archery, we had been capable of carry the world’s prime archers to compete alongside our prime archers in India. The league could have a spectacular opening on Dussehra Day, October 2nd, with Brand Ambassador Shri Ram Charan at Ram Leela Grounds in Delhi and might be an effective way to showcase and enhance the game’s recognition.’ (ANI)