Patna: The Patliputra Sports Complex in Kankarbagh, Patna, witnessed a historic moment as it hosted the Khelo India NTPC Zonal Archery Tournament 2025 for the first time. The two-day event, held on 13 and 14 September, concluded with a grand finale that brought together some of the best archers from across eastern India. The atmosphere was electric as athletes displayed their skills in a series of exciting matches that kept the audience on edge.
The highlight of the event was the compound archery finals, where players fought hard for top honours. In the men’s category, Shubham Das of RSPB won the gold medal, while Jharkhand’s Divyanshu Singh claimed silver. Bihar’s Vikram Kumar secured the bronze medal, making the home state proud. In the women’s category, Prapti Vatebal of West Bengal won gold, followed by Sangeeta Kumari Murmu of Jharkhand with silver, and Raj Aditi Kumari of Jharkhand with bronze. Saloni Oraon of Jharkhand finished fourth.
The event saw participation from 350 people including players, trainers, managers, and technical officials from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, SPSB, RSB, and CSEB. Among them were 200 male and 120 female archers, with Bihar sending a strong team of 72 participants — 36 men and 36 women. Their participation showcased the state’s growing strength in the sport and its potential to produce national-level champions in the future.
The winners were honoured in a medal ceremony attended by key officials including Ravindra Nath Chaudhary, Director cum Secretary of Bihar State Sports Authority, Manoj Kumar, Secretary of Bihar Archery Association, and Nutan Kumari, Vice President of Bihar Olympic Association. The medalists were given cash prizes — Rs 20,000 for first place, Rs 15,000 for second, Rs 10,000 for third, and Rs 5,000 for fourth place — as a token of encouragement. Organisers expressed hope that this event will inspire more youngsters in Bihar to take up archery and represent the state at national and international levels.
