NEW DELHI (India CSR®): Kumkum Anil Mohod’s family makes cardboard boxes for sweet shops in Amravati, Maharashtra. Rs 3,000 is not a small sum for them. With help from her grandmother, it went towards her first bow, a modest wooden one. At 17, she won the women’s individual recurve gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, the first Indian woman to do so. She had already helped India win its first-ever women’s team recurve gold at the Games.
Her story shows a gap that CSR in sport is meant to close. Talent appears early, but equipment, coaching, financial support and tougher competition usually arrive late, if at all.
From one champion to a wider system
India’s archers returned from Aichi-Nagoya with nine medals: five gold, two silver and two bronze. The spread suggests success is no longer riding on one athlete or event. Behind it sits a long-running programme, and NTPC’s CSR support is part of it.
NTPC began supporting archery through the Archery Association of India (AAI) in November 2018, with an initial commitment of ₹16.18 crore through 2025. In September 2025, the partnership was renewed for four years with ₹24.20 crore. A separate 2022 agreement with the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports committed ₹115 crore over five years to the NTPC Dhanurvidya Project. The project covers grassroots talent identification, academy development, coach training, scholarships, equipment and competitive exposure, including support for women and para archers. Its implementation period now runs to March 2030.
What it has delivered so far
- Around 53 national tournaments and championships, with roughly 24,096 participant entries
- Kits and uniforms for Indian archers at international competitions, covering about 1,145 athlete participations across 88 events.
Taking the pathway to Mizoram
On 8 October, NTPC Bongaigaon signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Mizoram State Sports Council for an archery academy at Lengpui, Mamit district. NTPC Bongaigaon has committed ₹13.28 crore over three years. The academy will offer professional coaching, modern equipment and structured training to young athletes preparing for district, state and national competitions.
The split of roles is worth noting for CSR practitioners. The state sports council will implement and maintain the academy, while NTPC Bongaigaon will provide financial assistance and monitor progress.
What the AAI wants next
The AAI has identified priorities for the next phase:
- timely scholarships and equipment
- stronger academy accountability
- performance reviews over three to five years
- sports science and injury prevention
- career pathways that let experienced archers stay on as coaches
These are the questions that decide whether CSR spending turns into results. The Asian Games showed what Indian archers can achieve. The aim now is to give more young archers the same opportunity, preparation and support.
(India CSR®)
