Who is Atanu Das? All you need to know about the Indian archer
Atanu Das is one of the most decorated archers in India. He first hogged the limelight after he participated in the World Youth Champions in Turkey back in 2008. From there on, he kept going from strength to strength. Three years later in the same tournament in Legnica, Atanu won the silver medal in the men’s team event.
Atanu had a breakthrough year in 2021 after he won two gold medals in the World Cup. In Guatemala City, he won gold in the men’s individual event. He finished on top of the podium in the mixed team event in Paris. Das also has five more medals (two silver and three bronze) to his name in the World Cup.
Atanu agonizingly missed out on winning gold in the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou. The trio of Das, Tushar Shelke, and Dhiraj Bommadevara bagged silver after losing 1-5 to South Korea’s Kim Je-deok, Oh Jin-hyek, and Lee Woo-seok.
Atanu was a part of the first silver-winning Indian team in the Asian Games after India won bronze in 2006 (Doha) and 2010 (Guangzhou).
How has Atanu Das performed in the Olympics?
Atanu Das was a part of the Indian team in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. India could not progress beyond the quarter-finals after losing to South Korea. Atanu, however, managed to make his way into the top 16 of the men’s individual event after he stunned third seed Oh Jin-hyek. Atanu lost to London Olympics silver medallist Takaharu Furukawa 4-6 in the pre-quarters.
Atanu is not a part of the Indian squad in archery for the Paris Olympics. But he will have his reasons to cheer as his wife, Deepika Kumari, will don the national colors in the quadrennial event.
Back in June 2020, Atanu and Deepika tied the knot. In December 2022, they became parents, after which Deepika returned to archery.