Taniparthi Chikitha: Telangana archer who shot her way into history

Telangana’s Taniparthi Chikitha created history by winning India’s first women’s U-21 compound bow gold at the World Archery Championships in Canada, overcoming travel chaos and windy conditions to script a memorable triumph

Hyderabad: Taniparthi Chikitha, who scripted history by clinching India’s first-ever women’s individual gold medal in the compound bow category at the Under-21 World Archery Championships in Canada, says her triumph was nothing short of “a real struggle against all odds.”

In a chat with Telangana Today from Canada, the 20-year-old archer from Peddapalli district, Telangana, recalled how the windy conditions tested her skills and mental strength.

---

“It was a different kind of challenge and I am glad I could overcome it to come up with a gold medal performance,” said Chikitha, who idolises India’s compound archery stars Abhishek Verma and V. Jyothi Surekha.

A Race Against Time

The victory was even more dramatic as Chikitha reached the competition venue barely six hours before the event. She and her teammates were stranded at an airport for three days due to an airline strike, leaving them uncertain about even making it to the championship.

“It was a different kind of trauma, especially before a world championship. But I just held my focus,” she recalled.

Dreaming Bigger

A former National Games gold medallist, Chikitha now has her eyes set on the Asian Championship and Asian Games later this year, before targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where the compound bow will make its debut.

She credits Abhishek Verma, who has mentored her since 2020, and Jyothi Surekha for constant support. “We have lots of discussions, share thoughts, and I always learn from them,” she said.

Family & Community Support

Chikitha, daughter of farmer Srinivas Rao, is deeply grateful to her parents and the support extended by successive district collectors — Prabhakar Reddy, Deva Sena, Sangita Satyanarayana, and Koya Sriharsha.

“Our ultimate dream is to see her win a medal in the 2028 Olympics,” Srinivas Rao said.