Jaipur: In the women’s recurve final of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) Rajasthan 2025, Anshika Kumari shot a poor second set against Srishti Jaiswal — the kind of performance that can rattle even the most seasoned archer. But the 23-year-old from Lovely Professional University refused to let her smile fade. Instead, she spoke calmly with her coaches, focused on positive self-talk, and bounced back to win the next two sets with ease, clinching the gold medal.
This mindset shift, Anshika says, has not only helped her win the KIUG title but has transformed her archery journey over the past year.
“There was a time when after every lost match, I would just laugh and think, ‘Even this wasn’t meant for me. What’s the worst that can happen?’ Then I’d focus on the next one,” Anshika told SAI Media. “At the end of the day, it’s all about staying in the present — one arrow at a time — and shaking off the stress. That’s exactly what I did in the final today.”
Reflecting on her shaky second set, the SAI NCEO trainee explained that she struggled because her coach didn’t have his telescope and couldn’t guide her on where her arrows were landing. “He got one after that set, but by then I had just refocused on my breathing and the next arrow. I’m happy it worked,” said Anshika, who is originally from Bihar and has lived across the country due to her father’s postings in the Indian Navy.
Her composure, however, did not come naturally. After picking up archery in school in Mumbai, Anshika rose quickly — becoming the first archer from Kendriya Vidyalaya to win gold at the School Games Federation of India nationals. She later gave trials at the SAIL Academy in Jharkhand and began training there.
Although consistent enough to earn a place at SAI Kolkata, she repeatedly missed out on a spot in the national team. But this year, she says, things finally began to change.
“I learned from all my failures. Every lost match became a lesson to improve my technique,” said Anshika, who competed in all three Archery World Cups this year.
Her resilience was on display again on Thursday. Minutes after her individual gold, she performed below expectations in the mixed team event and missed out on another gold medal. But she quickly corrected her draw technique and helped Lovely Professional University secure the Recurve Team gold.
Fresh from her Khelo India Zonal Open victory and now the KIUG triumph, Anshika is determined to build on her momentum in 2026. Her biggest goal: earning a place on the Indian team for the Asian Games.
WIth inputs from IANS