India’s archery contingent for the 2026 Asian Games has taken shape after an intense round of selection trials in Sonipat, with several established stars making way for a new generation of performers ahead of the continental showpiece in Japan.
The Archery Association of India finalised squads across recurve and compound categories following the trials conducted at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Haryana. While some experienced names retained their spots, the biggest talking point was the exclusion of veteran recurve archers Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das from the final Asian Games lineup.
Both archers narrowly missed qualification after finishing outside the top three in their respective categories despite strong performances throughout the trials. Atanu, who was part of India’s silver medal-winning men’s recurve team at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, failed to secure a direct berth for Japan.
Young recurve archer Dhiraj Bommadevara emerged as the standout performer in the men’s category after topping the rankings during the selection process. Dhiraj has rapidly established himself as one of India’s brightest talents after winning medals at the Asian Championships and the Archery World Cup circuit over the last two seasons. He will be joined in the men’s recurve squad by Tarundeep Rai and Neeraj Chauhan, both of whom delivered consistent performances across the trials to seal qualification.
In the women’s recurve category, Kirti Sharma finished at the top of the standings and secured her place in the squad alongside Ankita Bhakat and Simranjeet Kaur. The exclusion of Deepika Kumari marks a significant moment in Indian archery, considering her status as one of the country’s most decorated archers.
Deepika, a multiple-time Olympian and former world No. 1, has represented India at the highest level for more than a decade and remains one of the most recognisable faces in the sport. However, the highly competitive nature of the trials meant only the top three archers in each category qualified for the Asian Games.
The men’s compound category also witnessed major changes, with several high-profile names failing to make the cut. Sahil Rajesh Jadhav topped the standings after a strong showing in Sonipat, while Kushal Dalal and Ganesh Thiru Muru secured the remaining two spots in the team. Former world champion Ojas Pravin Deotale, Rishabh Yadav and experienced compound archer Abhishek Verma were among the notable absentees from the final squad despite entering the trials as strong contenders.
India’s women’s compound team, however, will continue to be led by star archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam, who once again demonstrated her dominance by finishing first in the qualification standings.
Jyothi has enjoyed remarkable consistency on the international stage in recent years and was one of India’s standout performers at the 2023 Asian Games, where she won multiple medals. She also claimed gold medals at the 2025 Archery World Cup stages and remains among the top-ranked compound archers globally.
She will be accompanied in the women’s compound squad by Taniparthi Chikitha and Prithika Pradeep, both of whom impressed during the trials with composed and accurate shooting under pressure.
Apart from determining the Asian Games teams, the trials also served as qualification events for upcoming Archery World Cup stages scheduled in Antalya, Turkiye, and Madrid, Spain. As per the selection criteria, the top four finishers in each category earned spots for the World Cup events. As a result, Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das will still remain part of India’s international circuit despite missing the Asian Games squad. Rishabh Yadav and Parneet Kaur also secured World Cup berths in the compound categories.
The final squads reflect India’s growing depth in archery, particularly in compound events where the country has consistently produced medal-winning performances at international competitions. With a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talents, India will aim to build on its successful showing from Hangzhou when the Asian Games begin in Japan next year.
The selection trials also highlighted the increasing competition within Indian archery, where even established stars are required to consistently deliver top performances to retain their places in the national setup.
