Thimphu is set to witness three days of high-intensity competition as the Bhutan Grand Prix opens tomorrow at the Babena Artificial Turf. Now in its third edition, the tournament has rapidly grown into one of the country’s most prominent high-performance archery events, drawing elite athletes from Bhutan and India.
Official practice sessions were held today, with nearly 50 archers fine-tuning their form ahead of competition. Organised by the Bhutan Archery Federation in collaboration with the Bhutan Olympic Committee, this year’s edition features 19 Bhutanese and 27 Indian athletes competing across recurve and compound categories.
Spotlight on Recurve Showdown
In the recurve division, seven Bhutanese and ten Indian archers will battle it out in the men’s individual event, alongside a men’s team competition.
Among Bhutan’s strongest medal hopes is 34-year-old Kinley Tshering of Paro. A seasoned international competitor with more than 20 overseas appearances, Kinley clinched gold in the foreign category at the Gyeyang Open Championship in South Korea last year. He also earned silver and bronze medals in the mixed team event at the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal. Currently ranked 133 in the world, he views the Grand Prix as more than just a contest.
“When we get opportunities to compete, we gain many advantages,” he said. “When top archers come here, we get the chance to connect with them and learn new skills and techniques.”
India’s Parth Salunkhe, ranked 51st globally, will be another major draw in the recurve category. The 22-year-old Youth World Champion from 2023 has collected 12 international medals over the past five years and recently secured bronze at the 2025 World Cup in China.
He described the tournament as a valuable platform for shared growth. “It’s a great opportunity for the Bhutanese people and also for Indian archers. I’m really looking forward to exchanging information and together becoming better archers as Bhutanese and Indian players,” he said.
High Stakes in Compound Division
The compound men’s individual event promises fierce competition, with 18 athletes vying for a top cash prize of Nu 100,000. Silver and bronze medalists will receive Nu 30,000 and Nu 15,000 respectively.
Making his Grand Prix debut is 35-year-old Tshetum Gaytshey from Thimphu. Ranked 184 in the world and a representative at last year’s Asia Cup in Bangladesh, Tshetum says the presence of world-class Indian competitors offers invaluable learning opportunities.
“We are very honoured to have our guests from India, who are among the world’s top archers. This is very beneficial for us, as we will see where we stand compared to their level,” he said.
Adding further weight to the field is India’s Prathamesh Fuge, currently ranked 15th in the world. Fresh off gold at the 2025 World Championship in Korea and multiple podium finishes at Asian Championships, Fuge sees Thimphu’s climate as an advantage.
“It’s slightly colder than India right now, which is very hot as summer begins. So it’s actually a really good thing for me,” he said, noting that he will next compete in the prestigious Vegas Shoot, one of the world’s largest archery tournaments.
Women’s Competition and Emerging Talent
The women’s compound category will feature three Bhutanese and five Indian archers competing in individual, team and mixed team events. Competitors have praised the high-altitude setting as both challenging and rewarding.
“This high-altitude environment is a rare and very good experience for shooting,” one Indian archer said after practice. “The environment in Bhutan is fantastic.”
To ensure international standards, three experienced technical officials and judges from India are overseeing the event.
According to Pema Tenzin, General Secretary of the Bhutan Archery Federation, the tournament is central to Bhutan’s long-term athlete development strategy.
“We identify talent and develop them so that the best archers can represent Bhutan internationally,” he said. “Having top-level athletes from India gives our archers the opportunity not only to compete, but also to learn and gain valuable exposure.”
In a move aimed at nurturing grassroots talent, organisers have introduced a special “upcoming archer” category for Bhutanese compound archers with no prior international experience.
As anticipation builds, all eyes now turn to Sunday’s finals at Babena Artificial Turf, where champions will be crowned and Bhutan’s rising archers will test themselves against some of the region’s finest.
