KHAMMAM: For many tribal families in erstwhile Khammam district, archery has long been more than a sport. It is a skill passed down through generations, woven into everyday life and survival. Now, that traditional talent will open doors to sporting opportunities for hundreds of children across the region.
Archery summer camps were organised in various parts of the erstwhile Khammam district, drawing an overwhelming response, with more than 400 students — including a large number of girls — participating in the training programmes. The camps were held at Kachnapalli, Palvoncha, Kinnerasani Sports School and Khammam and will end with a concluding session on Sunday.
According to erstwhile Khammam District Archery Association president S Sarangapani and general secretary Putta Shankaraiah, the camps were organised with support from the Bhadrachalam Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and the Sports Authority of India.
For the first time, a significant number of tribal girls participated in the camps and underwent training under senior coaches. Coaches K Kalyan and P Nagesh say the students, especially girls, displayed remarkable discipline, concentration and sportsmanship during the sessions. They also add that several tribal boys and girls showed exceptional natural ability in archery.
The erstwhile Khammam district already has a strong record in the sport, producing more than 150 national-level gold medallists and over 500 state-level gold medallists, according to the association.
Putta Shankaraiah says the association plans to identify schools in Khammam and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts from the next academic year to provide regular archery training to students. “There is immense talent among tribal children. If proper equipment and training are provided, many can excel at the national level,” he adds.
He says he has appealed to the state government to include archery as a major sport at the school level, stating that tribal communities possess natural aptitude for the discipline. More camps are also being planned in the two districts, he adds.
B Sanjana Sri, a Class 9 student of Kachnapalli Sports School in remote Karakagudem mandal, says the summer camp helped her learn many new skills and provided valuable exposure. “I found the training very useful and worthwhile. It taught me several things and gave me a lot of exposure,” she adds.