In the sports-rich soil of Jhajjar district, Haryana, which has produced champions like Manu Bhaker and Bajrang Punia, a new name is now being etched in the annals of Indian sports. Archer Rahul Pawariya, a relatively fresh face on the international scene, is stepping into some very large shoes and is already making the nation proud with a landmark performance at a premier continental event.
Historic Haul in Dhaka
Earlier this month, at the 2025 Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka, Rahul Pawariya announced his arrival on the big stage. The young archer secured a silver medal in the men's individual recurve event. This was not his only contribution to the Indian medal tally. He was also a vital part of the triumphant trio, alongside seasoned archers Atanu Das and Yashdeep Bhoge, that clinched the gold medal in the recurve team event.
These medals represented significant milestones for Indian archery. The individual gold, won by Dhiraj Bommadevara, was India's first-ever in the recurve category at this championship. More dramatically, the team gold ended a 12-year dominance by South Korea, marking India's first team title at the Asian Archery Championships since 2007.
Coming Full Circle: From Fan to Champion
The historical significance of the moment is profound. When Rahul Banerjee and coach Purnima Mahato led India to that previous team gold in Xi'an, China, in 2007, a young Rahul Pawariya was merely three years old. In a poetic turn of events, 18 years later, both Banerjee and Mahato were present in Dhaka as Pawariya became an integral part of recreating that glorious moment for Indian archery.
Mahato expressed being awestruck by Pawariya's performance, especially considering his limited experience in major tournaments. His potential was unmistakably displayed when he decisively blanked South Korea's Seo Mingi 6-0, a top-tier archer who had won his national trials and gold at the 2021 World University Games.
The Pillars of Support and a Humble Beginning
In a conversation with TimesofIndia.com, Pawariya highlighted the immense value of having legends like Rahul Banerjee and Purnima Mahato guiding him. "I had Rahul bhayya behind me for support and he kept telling me, whatever happens, will happen. I just have to focus on what I can do and that's all that I can be satisfied with," Pawariya shared.
This mentorship has been crucial. Veteran Atanu Das exemplified this composure under pressure during the team final, shooting a perfect 10 to level the scores against Korea, leading to India's victory based on closer arrows to the center. "We have been able to grow a lot because of them," Pawariya acknowledged. "They are not letting us do the mistakes that they have made in the past... they used to talk to us to relax, but it was very good that they made an aura on their side that doing this will happen and here we are, as champions."
Pawariya's journey began eight years ago in his village when a temporary archery facility was set up. Fascinated by watching other children train, he picked up the bow and never looked back. His medal-winning spree started with gold in both individual and team events at the Asian Grand Prix Circuit in 2023, a feat he repeated with a team gold and individual silver in the same event this year.
His development has been supported by the Vijayi Bharat Foundation under coach Deepak Malik, the Army, and the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS). Now based at the Army Sports Institute in Pune, when he needs to unwind from rigorous training, he turns to playing shooting games on his phone, with the Indianised PUBG being his preferred escape. "I'm getting to play a game that frees me from all my worries and I don't have to be tense, so what's the harm," he said with a smile.
Though the village facility that inspired him is now closed and he hasn't been home in over two months, Pawariya remains in Pune, fueled by his family's blessings and a clear mission: to hone his skills and bring more glory to India.
