Archery and P Shankaraiah are just inseparable

Development Committee Member, Archery Association of India, who makes it a point to go to the interiors to tap young, raw talent.

Hyderabad: Rarely does one come across a dedicated coach-cum-administrator like Shankaraiah who seems to have only one target – promotion of archery first in the combined Andhra Pradesh and now in Telangana.

Looking ahead at the talk of India hosting the 2036 Olympics, Shankaraiah feels that it has become extremely important to develop a comprehensive sports system that not only focuses on constructing buildings, stadiums, and sports universities, but also on producing Olympic-level athletes from the grassroots and rural level.

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“Lack of opportunities, proper coaching, guidance, and encouragement in rural areas is hampering their progress. We must identify hidden talent in rural and tribal regions and provide scientific training from a young age,” said Shankaraiah, President of Unified Khammam District Olympic Association

Development Committee Member, Archery Association of India, who makes it a point to go to the interiors to tap young, raw talent.

“To reach Olympic standards, a child requires at least 10 years of continuous training, discipline, physical fitness, and mental strength. Therefore, the period from 2026 to 2036 should be treated as a planned national sports mission dedicated to preparing future Olympians,” the well-known archery coach from Khammam said.

“Recently, we proudly achieved NSRS registration under the Sports Authority of India along with National and International CRF registrations. This is not merely a recognition, but also a responsibility to sincerely promote sports among children, youth, and veterans across the country,” he said.

“Establishing Sports Universities is a welcome initiative but Olympic medals cannot be achieved by constructing universities alone. Strengthening the sports system at the grassroots level is equally important,” Shankaraiah said.

“In particular, Physical Education Teachers (PETs) and the Physical Education system are the real pillars of India’s sporting future. PETs are the first to identify hidden talent among school children. Unfortunately, many schools still lack PET appointments, and Physical Education colleges require serious reforms and modernization,” he said.

“Sports development does not mean merely conducting competitions. A true sports culture must grow in every district, every mandal, and every village. Physical education should become an integral part of the educational system. Scientific training, nutrition, discipline, mental toughness, and long-term athlete development must begin at the school level itself,” Shankaraiah points out.

“I believe with proper opportunities and support to young athletes, especially in rural areas, we can win more Olympic medals,” he said.