New Delhi, Aug 18 (NationPress) Olympic recurve archers Deepika Kumari and Dhiraj Bommadevara, along with the world record-holding compound archery duo Rishabh Yadav and Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and seasoned archer Abhishek Verma, are set to represent India in the inaugural edition of the Archery Premier League.

This premier event will unfold over an 11-day span in October at the Yamuna Sports Complex, located in New Delhi. In addition to Indian competitors, the league will attract some of the world's top-ranked archers who will be distributed across six franchises.

To ensure the participation of elite global talent for its first season, the Archery Association of India (AAI) has classified archers based on their World Top 10 and Top 20 rankings, incorporating selections from recent trials conducted by the AAI.

Four-time Olympian Deepika (World No. 3) and Paris Olympian Bommadevara (World No. 14) have confirmed their participation. The record-holding compound archery pair, Rishabh (World No. 9) and Jyothi Surekha (World No. 3), will join them, along with Abhishek Verma (World No. 10), Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge (World No. 11), Priyansh (World No. 16), and Parneet Kaur (World No. 17), according to a release from AAI.

Additionally, AAI has announced that veteran Olympians Tarundeep Rai (Rank No. 4) and Atanu Das (Rank No. 5) will also be participating in the recurve category. The women’s recurve section features Ankita Bhakat (Rank No. 2) and Bhajan Kaur (Rank No. 6), both of whom represented India at the Paris Olympics last year.

Other notable men in the recurve category include Neeraj Chauhan (Rank No. 2), Rahul (Rank No. 3), Rohit Kumar (Rank No. 6), Mrinal Chauhan (Rank No. 7), Sachin Gupta (Rank No. 8), and Krish Kumar (Rank No. 9). The top women’s recurve archers include Gatha Anandrao Khadake (Rank No. 3), Sharvari Somnath Shende (Rank No. 4), Basanti Mahato (Rank No. 5), Kumkum Anil Mohod (Rank No. 7), Tisha Punia (Rank No. 8), and Anshika Kumari (Rank No. 9).

On the compound side, men archers include Aman Saini (Rank No. 1), Ojas Pravin Deotale (Rank No. 5), Sahil Rajesh Jadhav (Rank No. 6), Chittibomma Jignas (Rank No. 8), and Pulkit Kajla (Rank No. 9). The women’s compound list features Prithika Pradeep (Rank No. 3), Taniparthi Chikitha (Rank No. 4), Avneet Kaur (Rank No. 5), Madala Surya Hamsini (Rank No. 6), Swati Dudhwal (Rank No. 7), Madhura Dhamangaonkar (Rank No. 8), and Pranjal Rajendra Salve (Rank No. 9).

The President of the AAI, Arjun Munda, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled to showcase India’s finest archers in the inaugural season of the Archery Premier League. Their participation is expected to attract significant attention to the sport and elevate competition levels, making the league an exhilarating experience for fans nationwide.”

In a similar vein, AAI Secretary General Virendra Sachdeva remarked, “The achievements of Indian archers have paved the way for this inaugural edition of the Archery Premier League. We are eager to witness their participation in this prestigious event, ensuring it becomes a must-watch for global audiences.”

As both recurve and compound archers shoot at distances of 70m and 50m, respectively, under the lights, this league aims to bolster the confidence of Indian archers and enhance their performance levels, aligning with the nation’s Olympic aspirations.

The Archery Premier League has garnered support from World Archery, World Archery Asia, and the Sports Ministry of India.