A boy tries his hand at a compound bow in Jamshedpur. Picture by Uma Shankar Dubey

Jamshedpur, March 31: In a significant sporting development, Jharkhand is all set to become the first state in the country to form a team of compound bow archers.

The state archery body would shortly procure imported compound bows for the squad that would take part in national tournaments.

The move will also enable state archers to find berths in the Indian team for international meets. The Jharkhand Archery Association (JAA) has sent a requisition to the national governing body to procure imported compound bows. The bows will be imported from the United States. JAA would procure the arrows and other accessories from Singapore.

JAA secretary Sanjeev Singh told The Telegraph that they have sent a requisition for seven compound bows to the Archery Association of India (AAI). “We have generated a sum of Rs 3 lakh from various sources to purchase the bows. We are expecting the equipment shortly,” he said. “We will form the state boys’ and girls’ teams and train the players in compound bow archery. The effort will help Jharkhand archers get sizable representation in the Indian team for international meets, including the Asian Championship to be held in New Delhi next year,” added Singh.

“Only few archers, including some from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, take part in compound bow archery meets in individual capacity,” he said.

Singh added that other states have not been able to form compound bow archery teams due to paucity of funds. He said imported compound bows cost Rs 70,000 each and AAI would provide the same at concessional rates.

Singh added that compound bows have low poundage and help archers shoot arrows more accurately.