Ahmedabad: India will host the Hyundai World Archery Para Series for the first time, when more than 100 athletes from 20 countries compete at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad from September 5 to 9, bringing a major international para-archery event to the city.
The Ahmedabad event will be the third stage of the 2026 Hyundai World Archery Para Series, following the opening stage in Bangkok in April and the second stage in Nove Mesto, Czechia, from June 30 to July 4.
The fourth and final stage is scheduled to be held in Santiago, Chile, in October.
Organised by the Archery Association of India (AAI) with the support of the Gujarat government, Sports Authority of Gujarat and Sports Authority of India (SAI), the tournament will feature competitions in the Recurve Open, Compound Open, W1 and Visually Impaired categories.
The participating countries are India, the People’s Republic of China, Great Britain, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Slovakia, the United States of America, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cyprus, Czechia, Iraq, the Russian Federation and Sri Lanka.
India will field several prominent para archers, including Paris 2024 Paralympic champion Harvinder Singh, world para archery champion and Paralympic medallist Sheetal Devi, Arjuna Awardee and World Para Archery medallist Rakesh Kumar, and Paralympian Shyam Sunder Swami.
The Indian squad comprises 29 archers and has been preparing at SAI’s National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar.
Eleven members of the squad have also been selected for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the event would provide a platform for para-athletes to compete internationally while highlighting Gujarat’s growing role in hosting major sporting events.
“The opening ceremony, themed ‘every arrow tells a story of courage,’ will celebrate the determination, resilience and sporting excellence of para-athletes, with the tournament showcasing precision and perseverance on an international platform,” Sanghavi said.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat has emerged as a major hub for hosting international sporting events. The hosting of the international series in Ahmedabad is expected to further highlight Gujarat’s growing profile as a destination for major sporting events and provide a global platform for para-archery,” he added.
The tournament will be formally inaugurated on September 4.
AAI president Arjun Munda said hosting the series would give Indian archers an opportunity to compete against leading international athletes on home soil.
“It is a matter of great pride for the Archery Association of India to host the Hyundai World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad. Bringing the world’s best Para Archers to India will provide our athletes with a world-class competitive opportunity while inspiring a new generation of athletes,” Munda said.
He added that Ahmedabad’s selection reflected India’s growing ability to host major international sporting events and its commitment to inclusive and accessible sport.
AAI secretary general Virendra Sachdeva said the event would contribute to the development of the para-archery ecosystem in India by bringing athletes, coaches and members of the international archery community together in the country.
“Hosting the World Archery Para Series in India is a significant milestone for the sport and for the growth of the Para Archery ecosystem,” Sachdeva said.
“Bringing a global field to India creates an opportunity to showcase the quality of Para Archery to a much wider audience, while bringing athletes, coaches and the international archery community together on Indian soil,” he added.
(IANS)
