New Delhi [India], September 18 (ANI): 48 archers had been divided amongst six franchises right now because the Archery Association of India formally launched the inaugural version of the Archery Premier League at a grand occasion in New Delhi on Thursday. 36 Indian and 12 international archers had been picked within the draft as all groups shaped aggressive squads for the primary season.
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, as per a press launch from the Archery Association of India (AAI).
The athletes had been drafted throughout eight rounds, comprising three compound and three recurve archers every. To keep equity, the sequence of choosing an athlete by a franchise was determined by a random draw throughout all eight rounds.
Below are the total 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 gained the gold medal on the 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju, a part of the crew that gained the bronze medal on the Compound Mixed Team occasion, and likewise claimed the gold medal on the 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 gained 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 stable squad. Aman Saini, chosen by the franchise, was additionally a part of the Compound Men Team that gained a gold medal on the just lately 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): Knights bolstered their squads with world-record holder Jyothi Surekha, who was additionally a part of the Compound Mixed Team that gained the Silver medal on the 2025 World Archery Championships, and Olympian Elia Canales, who made title in 2018 with a Silver medal on the Youth Olympic Games, and was a part of the Recurve Mixed Team that gained 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 medalist 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 gained Gold medal on the recently-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 German Olympian archer and World Medalist Katharina Bauer. They additionally had been in a position to pay money for Mathias Fullerton who gained 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 in a position to choose five-time Olympic medallist USA’s Brady Ellison, who just lately was a part of the Recurve Men Team that gained 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 gained Gold medal on the recently-concluded 2025 World Archery Championships in Gwangju, and was additionally a part of the Compound Mixed Team that gained 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 likewise introduced fashionable Indian actor and filmmaker Mr Ram Charan because the model ambassador.
President of the Archery Association of India, Ashok Munda, stated, ‘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 by way of 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 aim is to maneuver in the direction of the primary place.’
Secretary General, Archery Association of India, Virendra Sachdeva stated, ‘We are elated to see that each one the franchises are effectively balanced and are fairly pleased with their squads. We are emotionally connected with 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 better achievements together with Olympic medals.’
Anil Kamenini, Director of the Archery Premier League, additional added, ‘With assist from World Archery, we had been in a position to convey the world’s high archers to compete alongside our high archers in India. The league may have a spectacular opening on Dussehra Day, October 2nd, with Brand Ambassador Shri Ram Charan at Ram Leela Grounds in Delhi and will likely be an effective way to showcase and enhance the game’s recognition.’
The first season of the Archery Premier League will happen between October 2nd and October twelfth on the Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi. (ANI)