From Farmland To National Podium: Odisha Teen Rachana Majhi’s Rise In Indian Archery
A chance encounter at a village school transformed 17-year-old girl into a national gold medallist: Reports
LANJIGARH: In the sun-washed fields of Chanalima village, where daily life once meant school lessons followed by household chores and helping tend a small family farm, 17-year-old Rachana Majhi could never have imagined a sporting career. Raised by her mother, Champa Majhi, after the death of her father, Nabin Majhi, the future once appeared firmly anchored to subsistence living and modest academic ambitions.
That path shifted dramatically in 2021 when coordinators from Vedanta Aluminium’s grassroots archery programme visited her school in Lanjigarh. For the first time, Rachana saw a compound bow — an unfamiliar instrument that instantly intrigued her. On impulse, she enrolled for training, unaware that it would chart a new destiny.
The transformation was swift. Under a structured regimen providing professional coaching, modern equipment, nutrition support and exposure tournaments, Rachana’s natural steadiness and capacity to concentrate under pressure quickly drew attention.
“Rachana has a remarkable calmness,” says her coach, Shambhu Nath Parida. “Even during critical rounds, she remains composed. She absorbs feedback quickly and competes with maturity beyond her years.”
In 2022, Rachana won silver at the Open State Archery Championship — her first major podium finish. Two years later, she captured gold at the School State Championship and another silver at the Open State meet. The defining breakthrough arrived in 2025, when she clinched gold at the SGFI Council National Games, earning selection to represent Odisha at the Sub-Junior National Archery Championship.
For her community, the medals have become a powerful symbol of rural aspiration. For Rachana, they validate years of discipline that carried her from village ranges to national arenas.
Her journey is also a testament to the impact of grassroots sports investment. Since its launch in 2018, Vedanta Aluminium’s Lanjigarh archery academy has trained more than 300 rural and tribal children, guided by professional coaches and Olympian mentor Rahul Banerjee.
“Rachana’s success reflects what can happen when opportunity reaches the grassroots,” says Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya. Our mission is to provide exposure, mentorship and resources so that talent from remote communities can flourish,” CEO of Vedanta Alumina Business
Now regarded as one of the academy’s brightest prospects, Rachana continues to refine her skills for upcoming national events. Her dream — to wear India’s colours on the international stage — feels increasingly attainable.
“From a farmer’s daughter to a national champion, her quiet ascent is inspiring countless girls across Kalahandi to aim higher than circumstance once allowed — just as she did with her very first arrow,” said Dr Ramachandra Behera, a social activist of Lanjigarh.