Who is Dhiraj Bommadevara? All you need to know about the Indian archer competing at the Paris Olympics 2024
Dhiraj Bommadevara is set to make his Olympic debut at the Paris Olympics 2024. As India’s top male archer, Bommadevara has garnered considerable attention and has hopes of a billion Indians to secure India’s first-ever medal in archery at the Olympics.
Dhiraj Bommadevara was born on September 4, 2001, in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. He is the son of Bommadevara Shravan Kumar, a former technical official of the Archery Association of India (AAI). His journey in archery began at the tender age of five in 2006 when he started training at the Volga Archery Academy in Vijayawada. Seeking advanced training, he moved to the Army Sports Institute in Pune in 2016.
Bommadevara made his international debut in 2017 and clinched a gold medal in the team event at the World Archery Youth Championships in 2021. His major breakthrough came during the 2023 Asian Games, where he, along with Atanu Das and Tushar Shelke, won the silver medal in the men's recurve team event.
Throughout his international career, Dhiraj has amassed an impressive tally of four gold, 10 silver, and three bronze medals. Currently, he serves as a Subedar in the Indian Army.
Dhiraj Bommadevara has received substantial financial assistance under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) amounting to Rs. 38,67,538. Additionally, under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC), he has been allocated Rs. 69,53,339.
Recognizing his potential, the government has provided significant support to Bommadevara. This includes financial assistance amounting to Rs. 8,96,400 for 28 days of foreign training exposure at Kim Archery School in South Korea in December 2023. He was accompanied by his coach, Mr. Sonam Tshering Bhutia. Further, he received Rs. 5,73,930 for the procurement of archery equipment in 2023 and 2024 and Rs. 7,53,032 for separate physiotherapy equipment in 2024.
Dhiraj Bommadevara's recent performances ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024
Dhiraj Bommadevaraj’s recent performances have been commendable. He won a bronze medal in both the individual and mixed team events at the Antalya 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 3. Additionally, he secured a gold medal in the team event at the Shanghai 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 1.
His consistent performance has earned him the position of the highest-ranked Indian archer, currently holding the 12th spot globally. This season, he averages an impressive arrow score of 9.52 and achieved his career-best score of 693.