Where it started
At 12, I started making bows and arrows myself. Before that I was an easy-going kid who never really focused on anything in particular. In 2011, when I was in 11th grade, I took up the sport properly and started shooting recurve, and later moved to compound.
Archery has a peculiar way of building character. Although I struggled with the ability to focus and be disciplined, I loved the sport and wanted to be the best version of myself when it came to Archery. I didn't realize it at the time, but Archery helped me with the exact qualities I lacked prior to picking up the sport – qualities I still carry to this day. Every triumph and every setback along the way played a pivotal role in building character. That's what this sport teaches a child: to focus, to stay disciplined, and to see things through.
Learning to compete
My first international event was the Indoor Archery World Cup in Singapore. It was a dream come true to shoot alongside India's Olympians and watch some of the best archers in the world up close.
Every competition put me in front of crowds and situations I'd never faced before. Slowly but surely, I got over my fear of being in competitions. The real test came at the state and national indoor championships in the USA, where I felt almost no anxiety.
Why I'm coaching
For years I travelled long distances for quality coaching, and only managed it a couple of times every few years. Not having an experienced archer to coach me close to home was one of the biggest challenges I had to face. This is one of the reasons I'm getting into coaching. Students at The Archer's Lab will be coached by a competing pro-archer.
I believe it is my duty to not only teach children but also their parents about what to look out for. I owe this to the sport. Archery made me who I am, so it's only right that I give back in any way I can.
My coaching philosophy is simple: anyone who wants to learn archery deserves the best care and direction, and I'm in a perfect place to give them just that.
Outside archery
I work in IT, in analytics. I've been going to the gym at least five days a week for as long as I've been shooting, and I love motorcycles. And I'm lucky to have parents who went out of their way to support and nurture my love of archery.