Khelo India Tribal Games 2026: Komalika Bari Targets Asian Games And Olympics 2028 After Shining In KITG 2026

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KITG 2026: Archer Komalika Bari is pushing hard for a place in the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games, while keeping her main focus on the 2028 Olympics. She is in the Top 16 and training at a national camp in Pune.

Komalika is also competing at the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games in Raipur, where she is a key draw in archery. The 24-year-old from Jamshedpur plans to shoot in individual, team, and mixed team events, while seeking more competition exposure.

Former junior world champion refines senior push

In 2021, Komalika matched state-mate Deepika Kumari by winning both World Cadet and World Junior recurve titles. Expectations rose, but her move to the senior level has been hard. She has missed major Indian squads so far, including for the Asian Games.

“I am currently in the Top 16 and part of the training camp, and I am preparing seriously for the Asian Games selection. I am also looking to participate in as many competitions to gain experience while maintaining our training schedule,” she told SAI Media.

Her current work centres on technique, mental strength, and pressure control. “My ultimate focus is on the (2028) Olympics. Right now, my training is very intense, and I am putting in a lot of hard work. The main emphasis is on staying mentally strong,” she said.

Early struggles and rise through Tata Archery Academy

Komalika first tried archery at 12, backed by her mother, an anganwadi worker. The family could not buy a bow, so she trained with bamboo equipment. In 2012, she began facing early hurdles, but kept going with this basic gear.

Four years after starting, she entered Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur. There, she trained under coaches Dharmendra Tiwari and Purnima Mahato. Reaching the academy was tough, as she cycled about 18 km daily from her Birsanagar home.

Role model at Khelo India Tribal Games

Komalika said her path had many highs and lows, but effort and resolve helped her move ahead. She wants her story to motivate tribal children to see sport as a career, and now sees herself as a visible example for them.

She remembered looking up to senior archers, seen only at events, and now wants to give that same spark. “That is one of the main reasons I am participating in the Khelo Tribal Games — I want people to see me compete and feel encouraged to come forward and take part,” she said.

Komalika already has an individual silver from the Khelo India University Games 2020 and values the platform. She feels the Tribal Games can lift tribal athletes, as many sports run together, similar to the National Games, and provide both motivation and exposure.

“The Tribal Games have the potential to change the entire ecosystem, especially for tribal athletes. The initiative taken by Khelo India and the way these Games are being organised is very impressive,” she said, as she chases senior success and longer-term Olympic goals.