PEDDAPALLI : young girl from Sultanpur village in Peddapalli district has turned a childhood fascination with the bow and arrow into a golden Asian Games story. Taniparthi Chikitha went from learning the sport with her father’s encouragement to standing on the biggest stage of her young career and returning with not one but two gold medals from the Asian Games in Japan.
For her family and the people of Sultanpur, the medals are more than sporting prizes. They are a reminder of how far a childhood interest can travel when it is given time, training and a family willing to stand behind it.
Chikitha developed an interest in archery at a young age. Her father, Srinivas Rao, noticed her enthusiasm and encouraged her to pursue the sport.
There was no grand plan at the beginning. There was simply a young girl fascinated by the bow and arrow and a father who believed she should be given a chance.
As her interest grew, so did her commitment. Chikitha began training more seriously, gradually moving from a village girl with a liking for archery to a young athlete with ambitions of competing at the highest level.
In 2022, her journey took a decisive turn when she joined an archery academy in Sonepat, Haryana. Away from home, she gained access to specialised training and spent long hours refining the skills the sport demanded.
The results began to follow.
Chikitha put together a series of consistent performances at national and international competitions. Her progress gave her family reason to dream a little bigger.
In 2025, she won gold at the World Youth Championships.
A year later, the teenager returned to the international stage with an even bigger challenge.
At the 2026 Asian Games, she delivered twice.
Two gold medals now sit beside her name.
Back in Sultanpur, Chikitha’s achievement travelled quickly from home to home. The village, that had watched a young girl begin her journey, now has an Asian Games double gold medallist to celebrate.
For Srinivas Rao, there is also something deeply personal about the moment. He had watched the journey from its earliest days — from the first encouragement to the years of training and competition.
For Chikitha, however, the story is only the beginning.
The girl who had first discovered archery with her father’s encouragement now carries with her the pride of Sultanpur, Peddapalli and Telangana.
