Actor Randeep Hooda, co-owner of the Prithviraj Yodhas alongside his wife Lin Laishram in the Archery Premier League, has highlighted the significance of archery as a sport.
The Essence of Archery
Randeep emphasized that archery instills essential values such as focus, patience, and resilience. His wife, Lin Laishram, is a former national-level archer, and their team serves as Delhi’s franchise in the inaugural Archery Premier League (APL). This 10-day league is scheduled to take place from October 2 to October 12, 2025, at the Yamuna Sports Complex.
Speaking about the sport, Randeep expressed, “We are proud that Delhi is home for the Prithviraj Yodhas and we couldn’t have been more happier to be associated with them. For me, when it comes to sports personally, it connects me to my roots in Haryana where sports have always been such an integral part of our lives right from our childhood.”
A Cultural Connection to Sports
He continued, “Wrestling, hockey, boxing—you grow up surrounded by stories of athletes who’ve made the country proud, and that spirit of discipline and dedication stays with you. We as a duo have a strong association and inkling towards sports, with Lin having had such close association with archery in her life. Archery as a sport instils the values of focus, patience, resilience. These are very familiar to me from Haryana’s sporting culture. To now be part of a league where Lin returns to the sport she has lived and breathed, and to help archery find more recognition, feels like a meaningful extension of that same sporting tradition.”
Lin Laishram’s Journey
For Lin, this venture represents a homecoming to the sport that shaped her childhood. Inspired by her father, who served as President of the Archery Association of Manipur, Lin began shooting arrows at the age of 10 and competed in her first Sub-Junior Nationals shortly after. She refined her skills at the Tata Archery Academy, where she won multiple medals and claimed the Junior National Championship in 1998. Although an injury forced her to step away from competitive archery, her passion for the sport has never waned.
Vision for Indian Archery
Dr. Vikas Garg, Owner of Prithviraj Yodhas and Chairman at Ebix Group, stated, “The launch of the Archery Premier League represents a transformative milestone for Indian archery—turning it into a dynamic, fan-friendly sport that promotes talent cultivation at all levels. As co-owners of the Prithviraj Yodhas, we are dedicated to fostering an environment that champions excellence, innovation, and India’s rich sporting traditions.”
The Archery Premier League 2025 is organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI) under the leadership of Former Member of Parliament and AAI President Shri Arjun Munda, along with AAI Secretary Shri Virendra Sachdeva. The league has received backing from World Archery, World Archery Asia, and the Sports Ministry of India.