Meet Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep and Taniparthi Chikitha, the Indian archery trio who won compound team gold at Asian Games 2026Here’s everything you need to know.
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Asian Games 2026: India defend women’s compound team gold with world record(Credit: World Archery)
Asian Games 2026: India’s women’s compound archery team once again finished on top at the Asian GamesJyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep defeated China 238-234 in the final at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park on Wednesday to win the gold medalThe score also equalled the world record set by South Korea.
The Indian trio produced a superb finish in the final end, hitting six straight 10s to close out the contestThe victory also helped India retain the women’s compound team gold after their success at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Jyothi Surekha Vennam: India’s experienced star
Jyothi Surekha Vennam is the most experienced member of the Indian team and one of the biggest names in world compound archeryJyothi was born on July 3, 1996, in Challapalli, Andhra PradeshShe began her sporting career as a swimmer before switching to archery.
She made her senior international debut in 2011 and has gone on to win medals at the Asian Games, World Championships, World Cups and Asian Championships.
Jyothi enjoyed a historic run at the 2023 Asian Games, winning three gold medals in the women’s individual, women’s team and mixed team compound eventsShe became the first Indian archer to win three gold medals at a single edition of the Asian Games.
Chikitha Taniparthi: Young Archer making her mark
Chikitha Taniparthi comes from Telangana and started taking an interest in archery during her school daysHer father played an important role in introducing her to the sport.
In 2021, she started to a professional archery careerIn 2025, she achieved her international breakthroughOne of her biggest achievements came at the 2025 World Archery Youth Championships in Winnipeg, where she won the Under-21 women’s individual gold.
Chikitha has since become an important part of India’s compound archery setupHer strong qualification performance also played a key role in India’s run to the gold medal in Nagoya.
Prithika Pradeep: From school hobby to Asian Games gold
Prithika Pradeep first picked up archery as a school student and initially treated it as a hobbyHer parents saw her interest and encouraged her to take the sport seriously, ultimately helping her to join professional coaching.
She made her international breakthrough in 2025 and has steadily grown into a key member of India’s women’s compound teamHer performances on the international circuit have also helped her earn a place alongside experienced stars such as Jyothi.
India’s gold-winning trio creates history
The combination of experience and young talent worked perfectly for India in the finalAfter beating South Korea in the semifinal, Jyothi, Chikitha and Prithika held their nerve against China to secure the gold with 238 points.
The victory gave India its seventh gold medal of the Asian Games 2026 and once again highlighted the country’s strength in compound archery.
