How Asian Games champ Chikitha persisted after she was defrauded for 1.5 lakh paid for her first compound bow

Chikitha Taniparthi, an Asian Games champion, pursued her passion for archery despite a significant financial setback. The 25-year-old, originally from Sultanpur village in Telangana, was introduced to an inexpensive compound bow called the Disco 100, which sparked her interest in the sport. After she tried the bow and it was taken away by her uncle, Chikitha continued honing her skills, eventually winning a gold medal in Compound Archery Mixed Team at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

Chikitha's father, Srinivas Rao, a paddy farmer, sold their family's rice harvester to afford a proper compound bow. However, they fell victim to fraud, losing over 1.5 lakhs while purchasing her first bow. Despite this, Chikitha's father took out a loan of Rs 3.5 lakhs to fund her training. She later secured a new bow from government funds after winning the sub-junior nationals and was mentored by international archer Abhishek Verma.

Chikitha's journey reflects the discipline, focus, and resilience needed to excel in sports. Her family's hard work and unwavering support, along with the mentorship of Abhishek Verma, enabled Chikitha to achieve her dream of representing India at the Asian Games and securing a gold medal. With her prize money, Chikitha plans to purchase a new rice harvester for her family and continue enjoying her favorite food, Chitti Muthyalu (small pearl) rice.