Deepika Kumari

Deepika Kumari is an Indian woman archer born on 13th June 1994. She hails from Ratu Chatti village in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand. She is a former World No.1 in women's archery. She represents India internationally in Recurve archery.

Deepika Kumari - Early Life, Family & Background

Deepika Kumari was born to Shivnarayan Mahato and Geeta Mahato. She comes from a humble family background, where her father is an auto-rickshaw driver and her mother is a nurse at the Ranchi Medical Hospital.

Deepika took up an interest in archery when he was young. She has skilled in target practice. She used to aim at mangoes hanging on the tree by throwing stones at them. Deepika wanted to pursue a career in archery, but due to financial poor conditions, her father couldn't afford to buy her bow and arrow for her to practice. Deepika made a homemade bamboo bow and arrow to practice archery.

In 2005, Deepika received her first archery training at the Arjun Archery Academy in Kharsawan. Later, in 2006, she moved to Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur where she began to pursue archery professionally. She also received proper archery equipment and a uniform. She would also receive a stipend of Rs. 500 per month.

Deepika is married to fellow archer Atanu Das.

Deepika Kumari- Biography

Deepika Kumari’s career began to take shape after she joined Tata Archery Academy. Her archery talent was spotted by Dharmendra Tiwari in a local tournament and urged her to join the academy for better training.

Deepika Kumari competed and won medals in several state and junior competitions before she made her mark on an international stage. Deepika was extraordinary at senior nationals. Her early success in the international arena gave her a household name in Indian archery.

In 2012, she was conferred with Arjuna Award by the Government of India. In 2015, Deepika was awarded Padma Shri for her contribution to Sports.

Deepika Kumari Achievements

Deepika Kumari made her international debut for India at the 2006 World Archery Cup at Merida in Mexico, where she won her first international Gold medal in Recurve women’s junior compound. In 2009, at the young age of 15, she won the Gold medal in Recurve women’s at the Cadet World Archery Championships. That very year, she won two Gold medals in Recurve women’s individual and Recurve women’s team at the 11th Youth World Archery Championship in Ogden, Utah.

At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, she clinched two Gold medals in Recurve women’s individual and Recurve women’s team held in New Delhi. Later that year, she won the Bronze medal in the Recurve women’s team at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

In 2011, she made her Archery World Cup debut in Istanbul, where she won Silver in Recurve women’s event, followed by another World Cup Silver medal in the same event in Ogden, Utah in the same year. Later that year, she won the Silver medal in Recurve Women’s team at the World Archery Championships in Torino, Italy, and a Silver medal in Recurve women’s team at the Asian Archery Championships in Tehran, Iran.

At the 2012 Archery World Cup in Antalya, she won her first World Cup Gold medal in Recurve’s women's individual. Later, Deepika went on to win 4 Gold medals, 11 Silver medals, and 5 Bronze medals at the Archery World Cups in Recurve’s individual, team, and mixed team events between 2012 and 2018.

In 2013, Deepika Kumari won the Gold medal in the Recurve mixed team at the Asian Archery Championships. Between 2015 and 2019, she won 3 Bronze medals and a Silver medal in Recurve women’s team and mixed team events at the Asian Archery Championships. At the 2015 World Archery Championships, she won the Silver medal in Recurve women’s team in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In November 2019, Deepika Kumari secured her spot at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after she won the Gold medal at the Asia Continental Qualification tournament, which happened on the sidelines of the 21st Archery Championships.