Jamshedpur: G for Gora, G for gold. Balijuri village's Golden Boy has lived up to his name in Bangkok.

Archer Gora Ho, 17, who switched to recurve from Indian round only six months ago, won the recurve team gold for India in Asia Cup in Bangkok, his international debut, on Thursday.

Gora teamed up with Akash and Gaurav Lambe to defeat Mongolian trio of Adiyasuren Baasankhuu, Otgonbold Baatarkhuyag and Gantugs Jantsan 27-26 in the tie-breaker to clinch the third gold for India in the Cup on its concluding day.

Gora also finished 17th in the junior individual round with a score of 648 (320+328), a promising beginning for an archer who just made his international debut.

It is all the more commendable when one considers Gora's circumstances.

Son of a paralytic father and a homemaker mother from a poor family in Balijuri, Rajnagar block in Seraikela-Kharsawan, and hailed as an Indian round prodigy at the state-run archery cradle in Dugni, Gora was able to switch to the globally accepted recurve after the state government gave him the sophisticated bow that cost Rs 2.70 lakh last year.

"I knew my ward Gora will try his best to bag medal in Bangkok. He has proved me right," said mentor B.S. Rao of the Dugni cradle who had first advised the talented archer to switch to recurve. Currently, Gora is a cadet of the Pune-based Army Boys Club.

According to Rao, Gora has huge potential of making his mark globally.

"He (Gora) is a serious archer who has loads of confidence in his shooting. He is also a hard worker who rarely misses his daily training sessions. These qualities will keep him in good stead in future," Rao said.

On how he was feeling, Rao said, "It's a very proud day for all of us."