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Teenagers Khadake, Shende shine as Das, Verma out of India’s line-ups

23 June 2025

Pune, India

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Rahul Singh, 20, earned his first senior call-up.

India’s national selection trials for the fourth stage of the 2025 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Madrid and Hyundai World Archery Championships in Gwangju recently wrapped up in Pune — with big names missing out and fresh faces breaking through.

Three-time Olympian Atanu Das, compound veteran Abhishek Verma and reigning World Archery Champions Ojas Deotale and Aditi Gopichand Swami all failed to make the cut. In their place, four debutants – including three teenagers – earned spots across the recurve and compound teams.

Fifteen-year-old Gatha Anandrao Khadake and 16-year-old Sharvari Somnath Shende stole the spotlight by securing places in the recurve women’s team, alongside Deepika Kumari, who topped the trials, and Ankita Bhakat.

Shende and Khadake will also represent India at the upcoming 2025 World Archery Youth Championships.

Khadake posted a 686 – the highest recurve qualification score across genders – before Kumari bested her in the eliminations to lead the standings with 16.5 points.

“It was a good competition,” said the 31-year-old Kumari. “Gatha has been playing well, and I wish her all the best for the future as we look forward to the world championships.”

Khadake’s coach, Ranjeet Chamle, praised his ward, whom he has coached for the past 15 months.

“She is very talented. This wasn’t just a fluke – she has excelled in pressure situations many times, including at the National Games, where she beat Olympians Deepika Kumari and Bhajan Kaur in mixed and doubles events.”

Deepika Kumari and Gatha Anandrao Khadake during mid-2025 national trials.

In recurve men’s, Das narrowly missed out by just 0.5 points to veteran Tarundeep Rai. Dhiraj Bommadevara topped the trials, with Neeraj Chauhan and Rai completing the team.

“It felt like a year’s work gone to waste,” said Das, who also cited a shoulder injury from the third stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya. “Becoming world champion was always my target. The last few days were very tough.”

Rookie Rahul Singh, 20, earned his first senior call-up.

“I’ve dreamed about playing world cups and senior world championships since I started archery,” said Singh, who won team gold and mixed silver at the 2024 Asian Youth Championships.

India will aim to defend its three-title haul from the Berlin 2023 Hyundai World Archery Championships, but the absence of reigning champions Deotale and Swami in compound is notable. Verma and Antalya 2025 World Cup stage winner Madhura Dhamangaonkar also missed out.

Aman Saini made a strong comeback, topping the compound men’s trials for his first World Cup appearance since Paris 2022.

“The competition was intense, but I focused on one arrow at a time with a clear mindset,” said the Delhi archer. “Topping the trials was a big confidence booster – it reflects the hard work I’ve put in over the past years.”

“It felt like a long wait, filled with challenges and moments of self-reflection. But I never gave up. I’m hungry for results and I won’t stop this time.”

Rising stars Prathamesh Fuge, Rishabh Yadav and Priyansh complete the compound men’s squad.

In compound women’s, 16-year-old Prithika Pradeep joins Asian Games Champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Parneet Kaur, adding another young name to India’s new-look teams.