Vijayawada, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : Dheeraj Bommadevara’s remarkable victory at the Archery World Cup Final has filled his father, Shravan Kumar, with immense pride. The 25-year-old archer won the recurve men’s title at the Saltillo 2026 event, becoming the second Indian champion in this circuit after Dola Banerjee and the first Indian male archer to clinch a World Cup Final gold.
Shravan expressed his joy, stating, “It feels amazing. I am incredibly happy and proud that my son is the first Indian archer to win a gold medal at the World Championship.” He emphasized that Dheeraj’s success is the result of years of hard work and dedication, recalling how his son began his sports career at a young age.
As a parent, Shravan noted the significance of Dheeraj’s achievement, saying, “It brings me great joy and pride that an Indian athlete, who started his career in 2006, has reached such a monumental goal in 2026.” Dheeraj had previously returned from competitions in 2023 and 2024 without medals, making this his third World Cup Final. His victory in Mexico marked his most significant personal title to date.
Dheeraj’s ranking has improved dramatically; he has risen to World No. 4 after previously placing around eighth to tenth in recent years. Shravan highlighted this progression, mentioning, “His biography states, ‘I want to be World No. 1.’ For the last three to four years, he has consistently been around World No. 8, 9, or 10. Now, after winning this medal, he has reached World No. 4, becoming the first Indian archer to achieve this ranking, which is a record for India. We hope he will achieve even more in the future.”
Dheeraj comes from a disciplined family with a strong connection to service. His father served in the Indian Navy, his grandfather worked with the Border Roads Organization, and his brother is a teacher. His mother, Revathi, also celebrated this achievement, calling it a moment of great joy for the family, Andhra Pradesh, and the nation.
Shravan, who has been involved in archery for nearly two decades as a National Technical Official and in archery administration in Andhra Pradesh, expressed hopes for Dheeraj’s continued success. Following his triumph in Mexico, Dheeraj has already set off to compete in the Asian Games.
“We hope he will achieve something special there as well. He has already won a silver medal at the Asian Games (including a team silver) and has numerous international medals to his name,” Shravan added. For the family, Dheeraj’s journey is about more than personal success; Shravan is confident that his son will continue to bring honor to the country.
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