As a token of appreciation for achievements in the field of archery by city archer Vennam Jyothi Surekha, city mayor Koneru Sridhar is contemplating naming one gallery at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation after the Arjuna awardee and asked Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh to send a proposal to the corporation to get the nod from the council.
Speaking at a function organised here on Sunday to celebrate Jyothi Surekha-led Indian compound women team’s effort to win a silver medal in the 49th World archery championship at Mexico, he said the gesture by the corporation will inspire youngsters to emulate the archer who brought name and fame to the city, State and the country by winning as many as 18 international medals and over 50 national medals.
“We should honour our sporting heroes and the generation next should draw inspiration from the unswerving commitment of the young achievers like Jyothi Surekha,” Mr. Sridhar.
In closely-fought final India team led by Vennam Jyothi Surekha, Lily Chanu Paonam and Trisha Deb lost to Columbia in the final 228-233. India, which has never won a gold medal at the senior championships, went into the final as the favourite, boasting of the highest per-match average of any team in the field.
In the ranking round Jyothi Surekha finished fourth by garnering 698 points out of 720 and in the individual Olympic round she finished ninth. “After Olympics, world archery event is considered as the toughest one. Winning silver is a credible achievement,” said Surekha’s father Surendra.
The 21-year-old archer is a permanent member of the Indian compound women’s team for the past of seven years and she won the FITA golden target award conferred on her by World Archery Federation.
SAAP officer-on-special duty P. Ramakrishna and others took part in the meeting.