When Gopichand Swami took his ten-year-old daughter, Aditi, to a multi-sports tournament at a local stadium in Maharashtra’s Satara, he did not harbour a dream as far-fetched as his kid becoming an Asian Games gold medal-winning archer. Rather, all that the school teacher ever wanted was for his daughter to pick up a sport – any sport, for that matter – so that she could earn additional marks in examinations.
“Because he was a school teacher, he knew that those who played sports were awarded extra marks in the examinations. He just wanted sports to help me in my academics. No one would have thought I’ll go this far in archery,” Aditi, now 17, recalls during a conversation with The Quint.
By ‘this far’, she meant the laurels she won earlier this month, at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. A team gold medal, and an individual bronze, in compound archery.
An ‘Epic’ Story
Yet, while her father deserves credit for getting her into sports, it was because of the folklores that she became an archer. Aditi explains how:
I saw various sports at the stadium, but archery was the one which got me hooked. I did not have any knowledge about the sport at all, but I found the equipment really interesting. I grew up watching the Ramayana and Mahabharata, where I saw Ram and Arjun doing wonders with the bow and arrow. At the stadium, I saw a game which used the same equipment, so I wanted to try it out.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
Expensive Dream
Trying it out was significantly more difficult than it sounded, for – though the epics made the bows and arrows look chivalrous – it was calamitous for the wallet.
Aditi reminisces:
This is an expensive sport to pursue. Fortunately, I have always had my family’s support. My mother encouraged me to not worry about anything else but my game, and my father took a loan to buy equipment. That’s what made me serious, because I thought if they were doing so much for them, I should also do something to make them proud.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
The All-Female Crew of Role Models
A rapid ascendancy saw the archer becoming a part of the Indian team a few months before she turned 16.
Recalling the call-up, she says “I had goosebumps when I got into the Indian team at a very young age. It felt surreal that those whom I had seen on TV and considered my role models were now my teammates.”
Among the role models, the most prominent was Jyothi Surekha Vennam – the 27-year-old archer, whose first Asian Games medal came a couple of years before Aditi had picked up the bow.
“Jyothi didi is my inspiration in archery. She has won so many medals for India, and is also an Arjuna awardee. I share a great bond with her and would want to follow her footsteps,” she says.
But Jyothi is not the only woman Aditi credits her success to, as she adds:
There are two other women who helped me massively. One is Mary Kom. I had seen her movie, where it was showed how she was absolutely determined to win medals, no matter what was thrown her way. This motivated me to do the same. Then there is my mother. She is a government employee who had to manage both her job and her kids, but she did it without any hassles.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
A Change That Worked Wonders
Albeit playing a crucial role in her team’s success, it was not until December last year, that Aditi won an individual medal. At the Sharjah leg of the 2022 Asia Cup, she defeated fellow Indian compatriot Parneet Kaur to win the silver medal.
As it turns out, she had not given medals much of a thought, till everyone else around her had something to wear around their necks.
I had never dreamt of winning medals, to be honest. It was only last year when I got into the Indian team, that I saw everyone was winning medals except me. So I told myself ‘Yaar, tujhe bhi medals laane hai India ke liye’ (You should also win medals for India). So, I changed my training regime and increased my focus on the game.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
The regime was as rigorous and religious as it could plausibly have been, for those around the teenager claim that despite being among the youngest, she is among the hardest and most diligent of workers.
“I like to practice every day. If you don’t see me practicing, it is only because the physio has asked me not to, because I’m doing too much,” Aditi says.
Life Is Not the Same Anymore
The strict routine and increased dedication paid off dividends, as earlier this year, she won a gold medal at the World Archery Championships in Berlin, becoming the youngest to do so.
A couple of months later, she was basking in pride at Hangzhou, humming the Jana Gana Mana, with the gold medal wrapped around her neck.
‘How has life changed since then?’ we asked. She replied:
Life has changed a lot. People didn’t know me before the Asian Games, but now, I’m starting to get recognised. Our sport has also grown. When I went to Satara after the Asian Games, I saw so many youngsters getting enrolled in archery. It was a great sight.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
With PUMA coming forward with their support, the financial worries have also perished.
PUMA has been a great support system in my career. Pursuing archery is costly. Just the equipment is worth Rs 3 lakh, and then you need to buy the shoes and kits. It is because PUMA are helping with those things that we can keep our focus only on the game. I can now take care of all of my sporting expenses and also help my family financially, which is a matter of great pride for me.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
Riding the Wave of Women’s Sporting Success
Inspired by a trio of women, Jyothi – albeit being all of 17 – has now emerged as a role model for the girls in Satara. Being a vital cog in the female athletes’ unparalleled campaign in Hangzhou, she believes the growth of women in sports will only see an uphill curve in the years to come.
Indian women are taking massive strides in sports. At the Asian Games, the female athletes went toe-to-toe with the male athletes. I’m sure we will see a continuation of this trend at the upcoming 2024 Olympics as well.Aditi Swami, Asian Games gold medal-winning archer
In Aditi’s case, inspiration, much like charity, has already begun at home. It has been a couple of months since her young brother, mesmerised by what her didi has achieved, decided to try his hand.
Aditi knows that she, and the plethora of female athletes who brought glory to the nation in China, now have a task on hand.
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