How sports-tragic father steered karate black belt holder Chikitha to archery

Chikitha Taniparthi, a 21-year-old compound archer from Telangana, made her Asian Games debut with two gold medals in the women's team and mixed team events. This remarkable achievement not only marked her arrival on the international stage but also confirmed the decision her sports-tragic father made for her when she was a child.

Chikitha's interest in archery began after her father, Srinivas Rao, introduced her to the sport at the age of 6. After she got her first black belt in karate, her father purchased a Decathlon bow for her and provided her with the necessary equipment to pursue archery seriously. She trained in Sonepat since 2022 and was coached by India's renowned compound archer, Abhishek Verma.

Chikitha acknowledged that her father was the driving force behind her career choice. He believed in individual sports, where both success and failure are personal, and he wanted her to excel in archery rather than karate. Chikitha's father, a farmer, and her mother, a housewife, provided unwavering support throughout her journey. Chikitha also trained briefly under Verma, who remains her inspiration.

The young archer attributed her success to meditation, breathing exercises, and her unwavering belief in her abilities. She concluded that she will continue to work hard and give her best effort to maintain her high performance level.