Ranchi: Ace Indian archer Deepika Kumari turned 26 today. Deepika comes from a humble background and she was born on June 13, 1994, in Ranchi, Jharkhand to Shivnath Mahato, an auto-rickshaw driver and Geeta Mahato who works as a nurse at the Ranchi Medical College.
Deepika is currently ranked ninth in the world and today she is celebrating her birthday with her family.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Deepika:
- Deepika Kumari started her professional archery career in 2006 after joining the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur. At that time, she used to get paid 500 every month.
- She became only the second Indian to win Cadet World Archery Championship title in 2009.
- Deepika won 11th Youth World Archery Championship at the age of 15.
- Deepika bagged two gold medals in 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
- She won her maiden Archery World Cup in an individual recurve event at Antalya, Turkey in 2012.
- Deepika secured number one spot in World Archery ranking in 2012.
- Deepika is also a recipient of Arjuna Award, India's second-highest sporting award
- Deepika was named FICCI Sportsperson of the Year In 2014.
- Deepika was also honoured Padma Shri 2016.
