When the Archery Association of India (AAI) announced the launch of the Archery Premier League (APL), it wasn’t just about starting another franchise-based competition.
It was a calculated move to elevate Indian archery to a professional, sustainable, and globally visible level. With its inaugural season scheduled for October 2025 at Delhi’s Yamuna Sports Complex, the APL represents both a cultural and sporting milestone—designed to prepare Indian archers for the mental and technical demands of the Olympic Games while popularizing the sport across the country.
The APL is not simply about trophies or prize money. Its foundation lies in addressing India’s biggest challenge in archery: the mental pressure of performing at the Olympics. Despite producing world-class archers such as Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, Dhiraj Bommadevara, and Jyothi Surekha Vennam, India has repeatedly faltered at the Games. The APL directly tackles this by simulating pressure-heavy environments reduced arrow timings, noisy crowds, and quick-turnaround matches to build mental resilience.
AAI President Arjun Munda has made it clear that the league is about fulfilling young archers’ Olympic dreams, while World Archery Secretary General Tom Dielen sees it as a model that could reshape archery’s global future.
Structure of the Inaugural Season
The first season will feature six franchise teams over 11 days of action. Each squad will have eight players four men and four women ensuring gender parity. Teams can also include two foreign players, with at least one required in the playing four, guaranteeing international flavor and higher standards. Unlike auctions in cricket or kabaddi, the APL will employ a draft system, ensuring balanced squads and competitive equity. Matches will include mixed team duels across recurve and compound events, with a reduced 15-second shot clock per arrow a major innovation designed to increase intensity and replicate Olympic-like tension.
India’s Best Lined Up
The APL has already confirmed participation from the country’s finest:
- Deepika Kumari : Four-time Olympian, World No. 3, and India’s most decorated female archer.
- Dhiraj Bommadevara : World Cup medalist and Paris 2024 Olympic standout.
- Atanu Das and Tarundeep Rai : Veterans with vast international success.
- Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur : Young recurve talents with Olympic and World Championship experience.
- Jyothi Surekha Vennam : India’s compound queen, multiple World Championship and Asian Games gold medallist.
- Abhishek Verma, Rishabh Yadav, Ojas Deotale, and Parneet Kaur : leaders in India’s rising compound dominance.
Their presence not only gives credibility but also ensures fans will see world-class battles from the outset.
Strategic Olympic Advantage: Compound Archery
A particularly visionary aspect of the APL is the spotlight on compound archery, which makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028. India, already a powerhouse in compound with athletes like Jyothi, Deotale, and Priyansh, stands to gain significantly. The APL will provide these athletes regular high-intensity competition, giving them a psychological and tactical edge heading into LA 2028.
The APL borrows lessons from the IPL and Pro Kabaddi League, aiming for strong branding, sponsorships, and broadcasting partnerships. Early talks suggest Doordarshan for national coverage and digital streaming discussions with Sony and JioStar. With archery already boasting a 21-million audience during Tokyo 2020 broadcasts in India, the potential reach is substantial. Franchise teams are expected to feature celebrity ambassadors, broadening mass appeal.
Sponsors are also being courted, with at least one Ranchi-based corporate with historic ties to archery expected to come on board. Prize money details are yet to be announced but are expected to professionalize the sport by making archers financially secure. The APL is also positioning itself as a fan-first league. Elements like fantasy leagues, celebrity endorsements, and cultural integration (launching during Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti) are designed to connect deeply with Indian audiences.
At the grassroots, the APL plans school-level demos, online coaching modules, and state talent hunts. The league is therefore not just about elite competition but about strengthening the entire archery pipeline from local discovery to Olympic podiums.
The APL’s ambitions are clear:
- Prepare Indian archers for sustained Olympic success.
- Professionalize archery and make it a viable career.
- Expand the sport’s fan base and commercial ecosystem.
- Showcase India as a global hub for archery innovation.
If successful, the APL could do for Indian archery what the IPL did for cricket create a system where athletes not only thrive financially but also sharpen their skills against the best in the world.
The Archery Premier League is not just a domestic tournament; it is a strategic intervention in Indian sport. By blending cultural pride, professional structures, global participation, and Olympic-focused preparation, the APL has the potential to change India’s fortunes on the world stage. In October 2025, when the first arrows fly in Delhi, it won’t just mark the start of a league it could mark the beginning of India’s golden archery era.
