Jamshedpur, July 25: After spending 11 years at Tata Steel, Olympian Archer Deepika Kumari has decided to move on. She will join Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and will be posted at Pune. Deepika also plans to get married by end of 2019. She made the announcement at a press conference held at JRD Tata Sports Complex (Jamshedpur FC) media room . Deepika joined Tata Archery Academy in 2008 and was working as a manager in Tata Steel Sports Department since 2012.
�Today what I am is because of Tata Steel. I have learnt a lot during my most precious years at the Academy which is like my home. The coaches have been very supportive from the beginning and provided us with all possible help,� said the ace archer.
Replying to a query, Deepika Kumari rued, �While moving ahead, I will miss everything from the facilities, the cadets, coaches and specially our warden Kuntla Madam who has been like a mother figure.�
Asked about her wedding plans, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist informed, �The person I am engaged to is from Kolkata and is also working with BPCL in Pune. We have plans to get married by the year end.�
Deepika Kumari is engaged to fellow archer Atanu Das.
Chanakya Choudhary, Vice President, (Corporate Services) Tata Steel congratulated Deepika as she plans to walk down the aisle and for her future endeavors. �There is a trigger in every person’s life which moves the person to a new level. She has been part of the Tata Steel family for the last 11 years and represented the country on the international stage. The good aspect of Tata Steel is that we touch human lives and sports for us is always a way of life which is imbibed in the ethos and value system of the company.�
Choudhary further stated, �Several great sportspersons who have been a part of the company have opined That one can move out of Tata Steel but Tata Steel won’t move out of you.�
Deepika who has been conferred with Padma Shri and Arjuna Award for Archery is currently ranked World No. 5.
A two-time Olympian, Deepika has won three silver medals and one bronze in World Cup Finals but has repeatedly failed to make a mark at the Olympics.
Deepika Kumari clinched a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games test event as recently as last week.
Kolkata’s Das, who is world number 17, has been a regular in the men’s recurve team, but has flattered to deceive in showpiece events, and returned empty-handed from the Asian Games in Indonesia.
Deepika’s coach Purnima Mahato, a Dronacharya Award winner praised her for being sincere in her efforts and wished her luck.
Archery coach Dharmendra Tiwari who led a team of four archers to the Rio Olympics in 2016, said, �Deepika joined Tata Archery Academy in 2008 and has since honed her skills in archery in the academy. Sheer perseverance and commitment to the sport saw her becoming the Sub Junior Champion and Senior National Champion soon thereafter. She displayed the talent and won the Gold Medal in the Youth World Championship in Turkey in 2008. She represented the Indian team that won the Silver Medal in the 1st Asian Archery Grand Prix held at Bangkok in 2009. She won the Silver Medal in World Cup Stage III held at Ogden in August 2010.�
