(18 Aug 2025) In a monumental stride for Indian archery, several of the country’s top recurve and compound archers—including Deepika Kumari, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Rishabh Yadav, and Abhishek Verma—have officially been named among the marquee Indian participants for the inaugural Archery Premier League (APL). The first-of-its-kind franchise-based tournament is slated to be held over 11 days in October at the Yamuna Sports Complex, New Delhi.
The APL, backed by World Archery, World Archery Asia, and India’s Sports Ministry, will bring together the world’s best recurve and compound archers in a dynamic, floodlit, team-based format with competition distances set at 70 m for recurve and 50 m for compound.
Who’s Playing?
- Recurve Division: Leading India’s charge are globe-toppers Deepika Kumari (World No. 3) and Dhiraj Bommadevara (World No. 14), both Olympians. They’ll be joined by seasoned recurve veterans Tarundeep Rai and Atanu Das, alongside women’s stars Ankita Bhakat (No. 2) and Bhajan Kaur (No. 6), and a crop of promising talents such as Neeraj Chauhan, Rahul, Rohit Kumar, Mrinal Chauhan, Sachin Gupta, and Krish Kumar.
- Compound Division: The powerhouse lineup includes record-setter Jyothi Surekha Vennam (World No. 3) and Rishabh Yadav (World No. 9). They will compete alongside accomplished campaigners Abhishek Verma (World No. 10), Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge (No. 11), Priyansh (No. 16), and Parneet Kaur (No. 17). Additional men’s compound names include Aman Saini, Ojas Pravin Deotale, Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, and Chittibomma Jignas; women’s field features Prithika Pradeep, Avneet Kaur, and Madhura Dhamangaonkar.
League Format & Expectations
The APL is expected to follow a draft system rather than an auction, with each of the six franchises selecting eight archers (four men, four women), including up to two foreign players per team, at least one of whom must be part of the playing lineup.
Archery Association of India (AAI) President Arjun Munda expressed his delight: “We are delighted to have the presence of India’s best archers in the first season… confident their presence will drive eyeballs to the sport and ensure a high level of competition.” AAI Secretary-General Virendra Sachdeva added that the strength of Indian archers on the global stage has made this league a reality and “a must-watch for fans around the world.”
Why It Matters
The APL is a bold experiment—uniting elite global talent with India’s archery stars under one roof, staged under lights, and in a thrilling team-based format. Its aim is to elevate public interest in archery, inspire performance excellence, and bolster India’s long-term competitive edge ahead of upcoming global events, including the Olympics.
Summary: The first-ever Archery Premier League will debut in October in New Delhi, spotlighting India’s archery elite like Deepika Kumari, Dhiraj Bommadevara, and Abhishek Verma, alongside top international archers, in a novel, high-octane franchise format under night skies. It marks a major push to popularize and professionalize archery in India.