From karate to two Asian Games golds: How Chikitha's father shaped her archery journey

Chikitha Taniparthi's Asian Games debut could hardly have been more emphatic — two gold medals in two days. But behind the 21-year-old compound archer's breakthrough lies a decision made by her father years ago, when she was more interested in karate and knew little about the sport that would eventually take her to the Asian Games podium.

A farmer's daughter from Sultanpur village in Telangana's Peddapalli district, Chikitha first took up karate in school and even earned a black belt between Classes 6 and 8.

Archery entered her life almost by accident.

Her uncle gifted her a recurve bow from Decathlon during a Dussehra holiday. Chikitha began shooting arrows for fun at a makeshift target in her backyard, but her father Srinivasa Rao soon noticed that she could have potential.

"I didn't get into archery on my own. It was my father's choice. He wanted me to play sport because he couldn't play any sport. When I was small, he used to take us to playgrounds. Every day we used to play some games," Chikitha recalled.

Her father's interest in sport had already been shaped by watching India's athletes. When Saina Nehwal became India's first Olympic medallist in badminton, it strengthened his belief that his daughter should pursue an individual sport.

"After Saina Nehwal won an Olympic medal, he decided that I should play another sport (archery instead of karate)," Chikitha said.

Once he saw her potential, Srinivasa Rao took a loan to buy better equipment. Chikitha began pursuing archery seriously in 2018 and was selected for the junior camp in 2021.

But Sultanpur did not have the facilities she needed.

Chikitha eventually contacted the wife of decorated Indian compound archer Abhishek Verma, who asked her to come over. She trained for five days before being selected to train in Sonipat.

"I was in school. We didn't know much about anything. Then I messaged Abhishek Verma sir's wife. Ma'am told me to come. Then we went there and I trained for five days. I was selected to train in Sonipat," she said.

Verma went on to become an important mentor in her journey.

"From that time to now, he (Abhishek Verma) is supporting me, helping me, teaching me. He is my inspiration," she said.

Chikitha has trained in Sonipat since 2022 and her progress has accelerated. She became world youth champion last year and has won team silver at the World Cup in 2025 and again this year.

At the Asian Games, she first teamed up with Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Prithika Pradeep to win the women's compound team gold. She then partnered Sahil Jadhav in the mixed team event, where the Indian pair survived a tense shoot-off against Korea to claim another gold.

"My father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife. I worked very hard and I have trained in Sonepat since 2022. This is my first Asian Games and winning two medals is special," she said.

The victories have also come after a difficult period for Chikitha.

After becoming world champion last year, she struggled to reproduce that form and found herself battling with her shooting aim. She won two medals at the Asia Cup before working her way back into the first team.

"Personally I have been struggling this past year, facing some difficulties. After becoming world champion last year, it became very difficult for me to perform at the same level. I was struggling with my shooting aim," she said.

"I just concentrated and said 'you have to do it for yourself and give it 100'," she added.

Chikitha now relies on meditation and breathing exercises to keep herself composed, practising them twice a day.

"I trust my process and follow it for a long time," she said.

The teenager who once picked up a bow simply for fun has now turned her father's gamble on an unfamiliar sport into two Asian Games gold medals.