Archery Association of India in search of sponsors after Tata pull out

Kolkata: With just little more than a year to go for the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Archery Association of India (AAI) is desperately looking for a new sponsor after Tata decided to pull out midway into a three-year deal.

"Archery Association of India invites sponsors," reads a flash in its official website as AAI is looking for a new association with immediate effect. For the time being, AAI will have to fall back on its limited resources to organise the National Ranking Tournament, which is suppose to be held in June to select the team for the World Championships and Olympic Qualifier in Copenhagen from July 26-August 2.

"Tata has notified us their inability to continue with the deal for 'various reasons'. It happened during the national ranking and it is with effect from the ongoing financial year," AAI secretary general Anil Kamineni told PTI.

The Indian business giant had earlier reportedly signed a three-year deal to pump in around Rs 2.5 crore a year. According to reports, Tata have walked out of the deal because they're not getting enough "mileage".

However, Tata Steel sources in Jamshedpur said: "We have re-assessed our sponsorship strategy to sporting disciplines. Tata Steel support archery and have its own Tata Archery Academy at Jamshedpur.

"The aim is to concentrate on nurturing talents at the grassroots level and providing opportunities to budding archers to showcase their talents at the national and international stage. We stand committed to the promotion and development of archery as a sport in the country."

Kamineni clarified that the new development would not impact the archers' training-cum-competition programmes abroad ahead of the marquee event next year, as it is funded by the Sports Ministry.

"We're getting the support from the ministry for the archers' overseas competition and training programmes. We just have to fall back on our earlier arrangement of organising the third stage of the National Ranking," he said.

Kamineni also said AAI was in talks with a couple of corporate houses and an announcement may come anytime. India's top archer like Deepika Kumari will continue to train in Tata Academy as she represented the corporate giants at national level.