Will Jyothi Surekha Vennam get Khel Ratna nod?

NEW DELHI: World champion and Asian Games gold medallist compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam will hope to be third time lucky when her name comes up for discussion at the sports ministry-convened Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award committee meeting here on Wednesday.

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Hailing from Challapalli in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, the World No. 2 and Asia No. 1 29-year-old has been the face of Indian women’s archery over the past few years, securing medals at every international championship she has competed in.




Representing India in 26 national and 77 international tournaments, Jyothi has won 62 national and 90 international medals. With compound archery added to the Summer Games programme for LA 2028, she has emerged as the country’s best medal prospect at the Olympics.

She has logged the highest points among Khel Ratna applicants for three successive years — 148.25 points in 2023, 132.12 in 2024 and 148.37 in 2025 as per the selection criteria laid down by the ministry, but was overlooked by successive committees that either considered other sportspersons more deserving or made selections based on popular choice. Jyothi received the Arjuna in 2017.

Earlier this year, the Andhra Pradesh high court directed the ministry to reconsider Jyothi’s applications for the Khel Ratna for 2023 and 2024. Jyothi had earlier told this paper, “I felt very bad (when her name wasn’t recommended for the Khel Ratna in 2023 & 2024). I was left with no other option but to approach the court.”

Cricketers Harmanpreet, Smriti also in Khel Ratna fray Sources have informed TOI that India’s World Cupwinning women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur is also a leading contender for the honour. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana could also be considered. Chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh’s name could be considered for the Arjuna award. She became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE women’s World Cup earlier this year.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

• Only archer to have won 9 medals at the World Championships.
• First Indian archer to win hattrick of gold at the Asiad (2023)
• WR holder in the mixed team event with a score of 1431/1440. lFirst compound woman archer to shoot a perfect score of 360.
• First compound archer to have won a hattrick of gold at the World Cup Stage 1, 2024.

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