India, Dec. 1 -- "Earlier, if we had to play a Korean, we'd think, baap re, bahut marenge (we will be beaten heavily)." This is Purnima Mahato, former India archer and current coach, summing up the mentality of the country's recurve archers vis-a-vis South Korean opponents in the past.

"I wasn't intimidated... I thought no matter who came up against me, be it a Korean, I had to shoot my best." This is teen Sharvari Shende, after beating two Koreans to become the U-18 world youth recurve champion in August.

This generational arc not only reflects a subtle mindset shift in the current crop of Indians but also a gradual decline in the aura of invincibility around recurve archery's most intimidating force. Korea, make no mistake, are still ...