Is the Archery Premier League a Game Changer for Indian Archery?

New Delhi, Sep 18 (NationPress) A total of 48 elite archers have been evenly distributed into six teams as the Archery Association of India (AAI) unveiled the Archery Premier League in New Delhi. This inaugural event will feature 36 Indian and 12 international archers who were selected by franchises during the draft process for the first season.

The six competing franchises include - Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu), Prithviraj Yodhas (New Delhi), Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra), Kakatiya Knights (Telangana), Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan), and Chero Archers (Jharkhand).

During the draft, athletes were chosen over eight rounds, with each round consisting of three compound and three recurve archers. A random draw determined the picking order for the franchises across all rounds to maintain fairness.

In addition, AAI officials introduced the official anthem and an engaging visual presentation, appointing Indian actor and filmmaker Mr. Ram Charan as the league's brand ambassador.

Shri Arjun Munda, President of the AAI, remarked, “The launch of the Archery Premier League is a pivotal moment for the sport in India. Our aim is to expand our reach throughout the nation, including rural and tribal areas. We believe this league will provide invaluable exposure to our archers, preparing them for future competitions. Having achieved second place in the World Rankings for 2023 and 2024, we now aspire to clinch the top position.”

Shri Virendra Sachdeva, Secretary General of the AAI, expressed, “We are thrilled that all franchises are well-balanced and pleased with their teams. Our emotional connection to this sport is deep-rooted in our history and culture. After years of striving to realize our vision for this league, we hope it will lead us to greater success, including Olympic medals.”

Shri Anil Kamineni, Director of the Archery Premier League, added, “Thanks to support from World Archery, we have attracted some of the world’s finest archers to compete alongside our top talent in India. The league will have an exciting opening on Dussehra Day, October 2nd, featuring Brand Ambassador Shri Ram Charan at Ram Leela Grounds in Delhi, providing a fantastic opportunity to elevate the sport’s profile.”

The inaugural season of the Archery Premier League is scheduled to take place from October 2 to October 12 at the Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi.

Here’s the complete lineup of all franchises:

Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu)

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)

Prithviraj Yodhas (Delhi)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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