The second season of the Archery Premier League (APL) got underway on Thursday at People’s Plaza on Necklace Road, along the banks of Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar Lake. Among the world’s top 48 international and Indian archers, 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod grabbed the spotlight with her presence. Archery Association of India (AAI) Secretary General Virendra Sachdeva said, “Kumkum Mohod is special. But the entire archery team has been working hard for many years. Our archers are now consistent performers, and our bench strength is also very strong.
“We still have to work hard all the way until the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. We need to maintain this momentum. India is waiting for an Olympic medal in archery,” he added.
What was equally impressive was that there was no sign of fatigue in 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod from Maharashtra, who was the athlete with the most medals of anyone in India’s Aichi-Nagoya 2026 contingent, with two golds and a silver.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, the Amravati-based gold medal-winning archer spoke openly about the Archery Premier League, her experiences at the 2026 Asian Games, defeating South Korean archers, and India’s medal prospects at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The impact of the Archery Premier League
The 17-year-old said that the world’s top athletes are participatimg in the inaugural season of the Archery Premier League.
“APL has greatly benefited Indian archers. They are learning a lot from it, and it is helping eliminate the fear-factor associated with competing against top foreign archers. At the international level, archers get 20 seconds for every shot, whereas here they get only 15 seconds. This also helps them learn how to shoot under pressure,” she said.
An Olympic medal in archery at LA 2028?
Kumkum, who won two gold medals at the 2026 World Cup, appears clear and highly confident about her dreams.
“I am only 17 and also competing in the sub-junior category. But my dream is to win the individual recurve gold medal for India at the Los Angeles Olympics,” she said.
Kumkum also expressed confidence in India’s prospects, saying, “Indian archers will definitely win an Olympic medal at LA 2028. It is possible that India could win more than one medal in archery.”
Bollywood adds glamour to archery
Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda and his wife Lin Laishram are co-owners and brand ambassadors of one of the APL teams, Prithviraj Yodhas. Hooda said that he is involved in horse riding and rowing, while Lin Laishram herself is a former junior national champion.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Randeep Hooda showered praise on the Indian archery team, particularly Kumkum Mohod.
“The way Indian players have defeated a powerhouse like South Korea is something we could not even have imagined earlier. This team has raised our expectations,” he said.
“I want to meet Virat Kohli…”
Kumkum Mohod revealed that she was also very good in academics, although she does not get much time to study now. She added that she does not come from a wealthy family, but her father never allowed her to feel the burden of financial limitations. She also spoke about how her mother inspired her to take up archery.
During the conversation, she passionately praised Virat Kohli, saying she is a huge fan of the Indian cricket superstar.
“Despite being such a huge star, Virat Kohli remains so grounded. That is something worth learning from. (Laughs) I would love to meet him…” she said.
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