Bombayla Devi Laishram
Indian recurve archer with Olympic, World Cup and Commonwealth medals.
Bombayla Devi Laishram is an Indian former archer who competed in the recurve discipline. A member of the national team for over a decade starting in 2007, she won a silver medal at the World Archery Championships and multiple medals at the Archery World Cup. She represented India at three Olympic Games and earned gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the Asian Games.
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- Bom
- Country
- India
- Sport
- Archery
- Birth Place
- Imphal East, Manipur, India
- Birth Date
- 22 February 1985
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Laishram was born in Imphal East, Manipur, to M. Jamini Devi, a local archery coach, and Manglem Singh, the state handball coach. She began archery at age 11, following her family's tradition, and trained at the Sports Authority of India under her father's guidance. She competed at the national level from 1997 and made her international debut in 2007.
Her breakthrough came in 2007 when she won bronze in the women's recurve team event at the Asian Archery Championships. She reached a career-high world ranking of No. 14 in March 2009. Laishram was a regular member of the Indian recurve team, winning gold at the 2011 Shanghai, 2013 Medellin, and 2013 Wrocław World Cup stages. She won her first international individual medal, a bronze, at the 2013 Asian Archery Championships.
At the Olympics, she competed in 2008, 2012, and 2016, reaching the pre-quarterfinals twice. She won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the Asian Games. The Government of India awarded her the Arjuna Award in 2012 and the Padma Shri in 2019.
Reader's Guide
Bombayla Devi Laishram's significance lies in her sustained excellence as a core member of the Indian women's recurve team for over 15 years. She contributed to India's rise in international archery, winning team golds at World Cup stages and a silver at the World Archery Championships. Her three Olympic appearances and consistent presence in World Cup finals helped establish India as a competitive force in recurve archery. Laishram's individual bronze at the 2013 Asian Championships marked a personal milestone, while her team gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games highlighted her role in major multi-sport events. Her legacy is further recognized by the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri, two of India's highest sporting and civilian honours. She peaked at world No. 14, reflecting her individual capability within a strong team context.
Did You Know?
- She represented India at three Olympic Games: 2008, 2012, and 2016.
- She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019.
More in World Archery Championships Medalists 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced