Navin Bir Basnet, managing director at The Best Archery Pvt. Ltd. used to be a professional banker. Before establishing his own company, he worked at a bank for more than 10 years. But sports had always been an integral part of Basnet’s life. Hence, to make his passion his profession, four years ago Basnet established The Best Archery Pvt. Ltd. 

Archery is a sport that requires a person to shoot with a bow and arrow at a given target. This is a great sport to enjoy with family and friends but the best part about archery is that it is a great sport for people with disabilities as well. An archer’s height, fitness, weight or strength does not affect this game. Unlike other international tournaments, archery tournament is accessible to anyone irrespective of their physical characteristics. 

“I held my first bow and arrow just four years ago. Now I’m a national player and a member of the World Archery Federation,” says Basnet adding that, unlike other sports, you do not necessarily have to learn this game at a young age. All you need to excel in this game is dedication though a little patience won’t hurt either. 

Various factors compelled Basnet to open a recreational center. “There are very less recreational sports center in Kathmandu valley. I often noticed teenagers spending most of their time playing virtual games. And the only form of entertainment for adults in Kathmandu is hanging out at restaurants. So I wanted to open a sports training and recreational center suitable for all age groups,” says Basnet. 

Basnet also believes that Nepalis have the potential to excel in this game internationally. “We may not be able to compete with other countries in many other sports due to our physical build. But in this game Nepalis can definitely get gold medals if our players trained well,” he adds.
Long way to go 
Archery is a new and an expensive sport in our country. This is one of the reasons why most youngsters do not have access to it. “The equipments of archery are extremely personalized. So only equipments will cost you about two to three lakhs if you wish to take part in an international tournament,” says Basnet. 

According to Basnet, this is the reason why most parents hesitate to have their kids take up archery. And most archery players or members of archery clubs in our country are adults from the elite section of our society.

To make archery a success in Nepal, Basnet has tried to attract our traditional archers into this sport. However, his attempts have yielded little success so far. “Our traditional archers are extremely efficient but they play with bamboo bows and arrows. Bamboo archery is not a part of Olympics. Another difficulty is that this traditional sport is also associated with gambling and drinking. In contrast, archery has completely different ethics of play,” says Basnet. “So it is difficult for us to get the traditional archers into this sports.

This arena however organizes many tournaments to make youngsters interested in this sport. They are also gearing up for the SAARC games 2019 which will be held in Nepal. “Nepal is now aiming for a gold medal in archery at SAARC games and we will surely get it,” says Basnet with confidence.

Advice for beginners
To get started with archery, one does not require any special gears. If you are a beginner, everything is provided by the club that you join. However, you will be required to wear good shoes. For first timers, sports shoes are ideal. 

If you wish to take up archery as a serious hobby or make a professional career out of it then it is advisable for you to buy a bow. Your own bow has to be unique and suitable for you. Before investing in a bow, you will have to factor in its resistance, your strength and the way you hold it. Each bow will be different than the other. Recurve bows are the most commonly used bows. 

The best bows for beginners are usually low maintenance, affordable, smooth drawing and easily adjustable. You should also keep in mind never to draw and release a bow without an arrow as this may cause permanent damage to the string. 

“Amateur players should also remember that these bow and arrows were traditionally used in wars and they are equally dangerous even today. So, in Kathmandu, the safest place to practice this sport is in archery clubs,” says Basnet. 

Also, it is extremely important to stay calm and breathe normally while participating in this game. Consistency in this sport will build your arm strength and make you better at the game. “A useful exercise to build your strength is by pulling the string back and holding it for 30 seconds then relaxing the string for 30 seconds. This step can be repeated as many times as your body permits. You must also learn to be still as a small movement can make a lot of difference,” concludes Basnet. 

 
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