Focus on Asian Games Selection: Archer Komalika Bari Confident After Strong Performance at Khelo India Tribal Games

Komalika Bari is India’s second female recurve archer to win both the World Cadet and World Junior titles.

Encouraged by her mother, an Anganwadi worker, Komalika took up archery. She believes that the Khelo India Tribal Games can bring forward many talents from tribal regions.

Raipur, March 2026 : With the Asian Games selection in sight, archer Komalika Bari is confident after her impressive performance at the Khelo India Tribal Games.

In 2021, when Komalika Bari matched her statemate Deepika Kumari by winning both the World Cadet and World Junior titles, she became India’s second female recurve archer to achieve this distinction. High expectations naturally followed the young talent from Jamshedpur.

However, after a stellar junior career, her transition to the senior circuit has not been entirely smooth. Komalika is striving to secure a spot in the Indian team for major tournaments such as the Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics, but she has yet to firmly establish her position.

As the selection process for the 2026 Asian Games reaches its final stage, Komalika has intensified her preparations. At a training camp in Pune, she is focusing not only on refining her technique but also on strengthening her mental resilience and performing under pressure.

Speaking to SAI Media, Komalika said, “Currently, I am in the top-16 and a part of the national training camp. I am preparing seriously for the Asian Games selection. Alongside, I want to gain experience by participating in as many competitions as possible while maintaining my training routine.”

The talented Jharkhand archer is one of the main attractions in the ongoing archery events at the first Khelo India Tribal Games. She added, “My ultimate goal is the 2028 Olympics. My training is going very well right now, and I am working hard. My main focus is staying mentally strong because it plays a huge role in performance.”

She further stated, “My journey has taught me that there will be ups and downs, but with hard work and determination, one can overcome them and move forward.” Besides gaining match experience, Komalika also aims to inspire more tribal children to take up archery as a career.

Komalika picked up her first bow and arrow at the age of 12, fully supported by her mother, an Anganwadi worker, who introduced her to a local coach in Birsanagar, marking the start of her career. In 2012, she began facing her initial challenges. Her family’s financial situation was not strong enough to buy a bow for practice, so she relied on a temporary bamboo bow during training.

Four years into training, Komalika joined the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur and began practicing under coaches Dharmendra Tiwari and Purnima Mahto. The journey to this prestigious academy was not easy, as she had to cycle 18 kilometers daily from her home in Birsanagar to reach the academy.

She said, “When I started archery, I had many senior players whom I looked up to as role models. We usually only saw them during competitions, which gave us a lot of inspiration.”

She added, “This is a big reason why I am participating in the Khelo India Tribal Games. I want people to watch me play and be inspired to come forward and participate. Even now, many people do not participate, but the Khelo India Tribal Games provide a great platform offering both inspiration and opportunity.”

The 24-year-old Komalika is competing in individual, team, and mixed team events in the ongoing Raipur competition. Having previously won an individual silver medal at the Khelo India University Games 2020, she understands the importance of such platforms and believes the Tribal Games can accelerate the growth of athletes from tribal backgrounds. She said, “The Tribal Games have the potential to transform the entire sports ecosystem, especially for tribal players. This initiative by Khelo India and the organization of these games is highly impactful. Usually, national-level competitions focus on a single sport, but here, multiple sports are conducted together, similar to the National Games.”