Pramod Chandurkar, general secretary of the Maharashtra Archery Association, set the tone by reflecting on India’s archery journey.
“When we started in the 1970s, there were only a handful of archers, and all equipment came from abroad,” he said. “I was the first qualified coach from SAI [Sports Authority of India] to join Delhi, and we had to innovate everything ourselves.”
Seeing him still so passionate, dedicating decades to nurturing archers and pushing the sport forward, is truly remarkable. He believes in growing a strong base, blending scientific training with hands-on experience, and inspiring both coaches and athletes to reach their full potential on the world stage.
Beyond the formal sessions, conversations with fellow coaches offered some of the most memorable insights. One that stayed with me was with Sanatomba Singh Irengbam, a veteran archer from the north-east. After decades mastering traditional Indian bows, he transitioned to compound archery.
What stood out most was his experimental mindset. He literally used Easton X10 points, typically used on aluminium arrows, onto bamboo shafts – simply to see what would happen.
“How will you know if you don’t try?” he said.
The result may not have been perfect, but the willingness to experiment was the lesson.
