From the dawn of civilization, bow and arrow were the principal weapons of war and hunting. With the passage of time, sport by shooting arrows with a bow either at an inanimate target or in hunting the prey gradually evolved which is now called Archery. Archery has been prevalent in India ever since and it is practiced to this day in the interior regions which have not been affected by modern civilization. Archery is directly linked with our glorious past and the National prestige; the very mention of Archery instills a sense of pride among the Indians. The tribals attach great importance to Archery and bows and arrows are used as part of their festivity. Archery events for men were held in the Olympic Games from 1900 to 1920 and for women in 1904 and 1908. They were then suspended until the 1972 Games when they were re-introduced for both men & women and continued thereafter. The Federation International de Tir a I Arc (FITA) was founded as the International Governing Body for the sports of Archery. Right from its inception in 1972, Archery Association of India is engaged in the upliftment of this ancient game in India. Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Secretary General Shri Gopesh Mehra introduced Archery in Asia and Asian Archery Federation was formed in Bangkok during the Asian Games in 1978. Shri Malhotra was elected as the first President and Shri P.N. Mukherjee as first Secretary General. India organized the maiden Asian meet in Calcutta in 1980. Archery Association of India is affiliated with the Indian Olympic Association, International Archery Federation & Asian Archery Federation having its 27 State Archery Associations and 06 other Para-Military Forces and other voluntary organizations.