Despite the fact that it wasn't one of her favorite recollections, Gatha Khadake, an archer, clearly recalls the conversation she had with Deepika Kumari at the National Games in Uttarakhand in February. Gatha was only a few years behind India's best archer in age and experience. She had just lost to her in the semifinal, forcing a shoot-off after a 5-5 tie score. Deepika scored a 10 to Gatha's 8 in the shoot-off. Despite the fierce battle, Gatha left the field feeling a little dejected since it was her first time ever facing the four-time Olympian there.

"I was a little sad, but Deepika reassured me, 'Don't worry, you will be around to play a lot more,'" Gatha said.

The 15-year-old has earned a place on the Indian women's recurve team alongside the 31-year-old Deepika for the World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid next month and the World Championship in Gwangju in September.

At the recent selection trials, Gatha, 15, and Sharvari Shende, also 15, were two of the Maharashtra youngsters who made waves in the recurve competition. Gatha placed third in the elimination round, ahead of Sharvari (who will only participate in the World Cup) and ahead of Deepika and Ankita Bhakat, who were ahead of her in the qualifying round. In addition to a busy few weeks full of consecutive trials, the two teenagers also purchased tickets to the World Youth Championships.

Gatha was invited to three significant events as a result of her performance, giving her a taste of global archery.

Gatha said, "I'm thrilled to be competing in my first international competition. I put a lot of effort into it, and I'm glad that it showed in the trials."

This gentle young woman has worked hard to cultivate this attribute over time, thanks to the encouragement and sacrifice of her family, particularly her mother Dipali, who is an eye surgeon like her father Anandrao.

Gatha was captivated by space science during his upbringing in Tembhurni, a town in the Solapur district. At the age of seven, she was taught archery, and when she wasn't learning about shooting stars, she was practicing. She rapidly developed a strong interest in the latter.

Training at Tembhurni was insufficient as her aptitude and enthusiasm increased. With twin sisters five years her junior at home and both parents working as doctors, Pune, which is 160 kilometers away from her hamlet, would have been a preferable option, but it was also a difficult one.

It was at that point that Dipali made the decision to prioritize Gatha's archery aspirations by quitting her medical career and spending less time with her younger children. Gatha trained in Pune two or three times a week for a few years, traveling from Tembhurni.

"The trip was long, but as soon as I began shooting, all the exhaustion would vanish," stated Gatha.

With homegrown medals indicating more potential, the mother-daughter team relocated to Pune last year and started residing in a rented apartment close to the Archers Academy, where she is receiving instruction from coaches Ranjeet Chamle and Ram Shinde. Dipali is only able to spend time with her ten-year-old girls when Gatha comes home on a few weekends.

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