SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 12: Dhanbad’s Khushi Kumari (8) has been selected for the NTPC Mini National Archery Championship to be held at Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) from May 23 to May 31.
State archery association official said that Khushi Kumari has been selected based on her outstanding performance in the selection trial held at JRD Sports Stadium Jamshedpur on May 8. She has been selected to participate in the under-9 Indian Round event.
Dhanbad district association had sent seven boys and girls for under-14 and under – 9 trials at Jamshedpur in which only Khushi Kumari was selected.
Since state archery championships were not organized in the last two years due to the corona pandemic, the state association held a direct trial for the selection of players for the Mini National Championship.
Khushi Kumari, a class IV student of DAV Model School Digwadih, has been getting training at Tata Archery Feeder Centre Jharia division of Tata collieries. This is the first time she is participating in a championship.
“She has all the qualities and potential to move forward in archery. She has the dedication, concentration and talent to excel on the national stage provided she is given proper training,” said national archery coach Md Shamshad Alam, who coaches Khushi Kumari.
Dhanbad district Archery Association president Vijay Jha, general secretary Md Zubair Alam, and Taraknath Das hailed the selection of Khushi for the national championship. “She is a budding talent and the district body would try to provide all facilities to reach an international level,” said president Vijay Jha.
General secretary Zubair Alam said that Dhanbad has generated many national rank archers in the recent past. The district has high hopes for Khushi to go to the international level.