Retauli/Jind: Vijay Sharma was busy getting his paddy harvested with a combine harvester in his field when his keypad phone rang. He answered the call and heard the words he had been waiting for,“Your daughter has won gold.”




For a farmer who had once borrowed Rs 60,000 from a commission agent at interest to buy his daughter’s archery bow, the moment felt like the fulfilment of a dream he had quietly nurtured for years. The news that his daughter Kirti Sharma , an archer from Retauli village in Jind district , had won a historic gold medal in the women’s recurve team event at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan soon spread through the village. Celebrations broke out, and congratulatory visitors began arriving at the Sharma household.




When TOI visited Kirti’s home, the surroundings told the story of a family that had achieved a remarkable sporting success despite modest means. A mud road outside the house, a traditional earthen chulha in the courtyard, a mud hearth and cow-dung cakes, along with faded walls, reflected the simple rural background from which the Asian Games champion emerged.




“I am a farmer with three acres of land. I never imagined that this sport would become so expensive,” said Vijay Sharma. It was a school coach who first encouraged Kriti to take up archery. That coach, who is now a government coach, continues to train her.




Kriti’s journey into archery began around 2019-20, during her school years. Until Class VIII, sports for her largely meant participating in occasional running competitions. Her school played an important role in introducing her to archery, as it had a dedicated archery ground on its campus. Initially, Kirti became interested after watching senior students practise the sport. Soon, she began training herself. She started with a traditional Indian bow made of bamboo. About six months later, she decided to move to a recurve bow with fibreglass limbs.




The bow cost Rs 60,000—a huge amount for her farmer family. Her father borrowed the money from a commission agent on interest so that his daughter could continue her training. Kriti’s mother, Guddi Devi , said the family had to make several sacrifices to ensure that her daughter could remain focused on training. “My husband Vijay is the only child of his parents and the only earning member of the family. He has six sisters, and we have to fulfil the traditional responsibility of attending and contributing to the marriages of 27 nephews and nieces,” she said.




"I underwent a uterus operation around six months ago. But instead of allowing my health problems to affect Kirti’s training, the family chose to keep the young archer’s preparation on track," she added. “Kriti told me, ‘Mom, this is a question of my life. I cannot give time to anything else.’ Looking at her future, I decided that she should concentrate on her training,” Guddi Devi said.




She stayed with her daughter for only a day before sending her back to Jharkhand for training. After that, she called her sisters-in-law one by one to help manage the household. “Today, my daughter has received the reward for all her hard work. I hope she wins a gold medal for the country at the Olympics as well,” Guddi Devi said.




Meanwhile, the family has also gradually repaid the money borrowed for the bow in instalments, she added.




At the Asian Games 2026, the Indian women’s recurve team created history by winning India’s first-ever gold medal in the event in Asian Games history. The Indian trio of Ankita Bhakat, Kriti Sharma and Kumkum Anil Mohod defeated a strong South Korean team 5-3 in the final to claim the gold medal.




For Retauli village and Jind district, Kirti’s achievement is more than a sporting victory. It is the culmination of years of sacrifice by a family that had limited resources but refused to let financial difficulties come in the way of a daughter’s sporting ambitions.




Her journey—from practising with a bamboo bow to winning Asian Games gold with a recurve bow bought with borrowed money—has become a story of determination and perseverance in the village.




“Who says the sky cannot be pierced? Throw a stone with determination.” The famous lines aptly describe Kirti’s journey, said Captain Yogesh Bairagi, chairman Haryana social welfare board, who is a local native who congratulated the family members.




Rohtash Sharma, a native of Retauli and chairman of the Pillu Khera Market Committee, said Kirti’s achievement had brought immense pride to the entire village and district.




“Kirti has brought recognition to Jind and Haryana on the international stage. Her success will inspire many young players who dream big despite limited resources,” he said.