Vijayawada, Sep 15 (IANS) : Dhiraj Bommadevara’s historic Archery World Cup Final triumph has left his father Sravan Kumar filled with immense pride as he said his son’s gold medal is a landmark moment for Indian archery.
The 25-year-old archer capped a brilliant run over the last 12 months by winning the recurve men’s title at the Saltillo 2026 Archery World Cup Final, joining Dola Banerjee as one of India’s two champions on the circuit. Moreover, he became the first Indian male archer to win the World Cup Final.
“It feels wonderful and makes me extremely happy and proud that my son has become the first Indian archer to win a gold medal at the World Championships,” Sravan told IANS.
Sravan said Dhiraj’s achievement was the result of years of hard work and determination, recalling how his son began his sporting journey at a young age.
“As a parent, I feel extremely happy and proud that an Indian athlete who started his career in 2006 has achieved such a major target in 2026,” he said.
Dhiraj had entered the World Cup Final for the third time after returning without a medal from his previous appearances in 2023 and 2024. His success in Mexico finally gave him his biggest individual title.
Sravan also highlighted his son’s rise in the world rankings. Dhiraj, who had spent the last few years around the eighth, ninth or 10th positions, has now moved up to World No. 4.
“His biography also states, ‘I want to become world number one.’ For the past three or four years, he had consistently been ranked around World No. 8, 9 or 10. After winning this medal, he has now moved up to World No. 4,” Sravan said.
“He is the first Indian archer to reach the fourth position in the world rankings, which is a record for India. We hope that he will achieve many more milestones in the future,” he added.
Dhiraj’s achievement also comes from a family with a strong connection to disciplined services. His father has been associated with the Indian Navy, and his grandfather served in the Border Roads Organisation, while his brother is a teacher.
His parents supported his sporting ambitions despite encouraging him to focus on academics. Dhiraj remained passionate about sports and would devote himself to rigorous practice after returning from school.
His mother Revathi also described the achievement as a deeply gratifying moment for the family, saying Dhiraj’s World Cup Final gold was a historic milestone not only for him but also for Andhra Pradesh and the country.
Dhiraj’s father has himself been closely associated with archery for nearly two decades. He continues to serve as a National Technical Official and has been involved with archery administration in Andhra Pradesh.
Sravan said the family is now hoping Dhiraj can continue his winning run at the Asian Games. The archer has already travelled for the continental event after his success in Mexico.
“We hope that he will achieve something significant there as well. He has already won a silver medal at the Asian Games, including a team silver medal, and he has many international medals to his credit,” Sravan said.
For the family, Dhiraj’s journey is about more than personal success, with Sravan expressing the hope that his son will continue to bring laurels to the country.
“As a parent and as the father of a sportsperson, there is always hope that our children will continue to progress, achieve greater success and bring more laurels to the country while always keeping the Tricolour flying high. That hope will always remain,” he said.
