Exclusive | ‘I’d be the biggest fool if … ‘: Olympian Deepika Kumari on criticism, her legacy, and more

NEW DELHI: If archery is where calm meets chaos in the span of a heartbeat, then Deepika Kumari has long been India’s most trusted arrow.Last month in Shanghai, she proved once again that her aim is far from fading.“Getting my hands on the medal — I see this as an improvement,” Deepika tells TimesofIndia.com after clinching her 18th individual World Cup medal at the Stage 2 event.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The knockout rounds brought the formidable Koreans, and while Deepika stumbled in the semifinal against Olympic champion Lim Sihyeon, she didn’t stay down for long, returning to outshoot former world champion Kang Chaeyoung 7-3 to secure bronze.

HUNGER FOR AN OLYMPIC MEDAL

“I feel very proud. I think I’ve contributed something to Indian archery. People say, ‘Because of you, archery became known.’ But until I win an Olympic medal, I won’t feel I’ve truly proven myself,” says the four-time Olympian.Deepika’s participation in four Olympics has seen her reach the quarterfinals in both the Tokyo and Paris editions — her best individual finishes at the Games to date.Heartbreaks, needless to say, have often been her companion on the sport’s biggest stages.

The Olympic dream, however, is not a closed chapter.“Dealing with Olympic heartbreak in Paris? I dealt with it the next day. I just moved on, thinking the next time I play in the Olympics, I’ll definitely win a medal,” she declares, eyes set on LA 2028.

‘I’D BE THE BIGGEST FOOL IF…’

The pressure doesn’t end at the archery range; off the field, backlash often follows — fuelled by a nation’s Olympic hopes that sometimes tip into harsh judgment.Deepika, in a world of instant opinions, has learned to filter out the static: “Why give answers to those who don’t know anything? If someone doesn’t know me, hasn’t seen me struggle, why bother reacting? If someone doesn’t even know me and I carry their opinion around, I’d be the biggest fool.

“They say, ‘You’re just standing and shooting.’ I tell them: you try standing for eight hours. Now add pulling 22 kilos of force, 350–400 times a day. In 45°C heat. Then tell me it’s just standing and shooting.”The bow itself weighs 3.5 to 4 kg, and the demands aren’t just muscular. As the veteran adds, “You can’t rely only on body strength. You need the control of mind while drawing the bow — it must be balanced. Without proper training, kids today are injuring themselves trying to lift too much, too fast.

We used to believe rest wasn’t part of training. Now I know how important rest is.”

NEW COACH, NEWER MOTIVATION

With a new coach, Olympian Rahul Banerjee, and support from the Reliance Foundation, Deepika is now rewiring from the ground up. Yes, even a veteran sometimes needs to go back to the basics, and Deepika is currently doing just that.

Recalling her early academy days, Deepika continues, “In India, we’re constantly compared to Koreans, who’ve had a structured system from childhood.

But in our country, expectations are high, and patience is lacking.“Like when I went to an academy, I was told, ‘If you don’t perform within the next six months, you’ll be removed.’ So it’s the same everywhere — limited time, less funding. They expect performance instantly.“Then players forget to build the base as they are forced into bettering their performance. In India, there’s still a lack of knowledge at the grassroots, especially about the basics.

So I’m focusing on rebuilding my base from scratch.”For many, just affording the sport is a mountain, as post-pandemic inflation has hit archery gear hard.“After COVID, equipment costs have gone up a lot. A good archery set-up can cost around 5.5 lakh INR (approx. $6500). You can get basic equipment for 2 to 2.5 lakh, but those will not be of international standard,” she reveals.

All eyes on the LA 2028 Olympics

While the LA 2028 Olympics might still be a few chapters away, Deepika is excited about the introduction of compound archery — a discipline where Indian archers have excelled over the years.“If medal chances increase, our country benefits,” she adds.ALSO READ: Indian farm girl who picked up gun at 13, now recovering Olympic heartbreak: The Maheshwari Chauhan story“In compound archery, we shoot with triggers and more mechanical aid. In recurve, it’s all manual. Even a small mistake can cost a lot. In compound, the trigger helps.”Nevertheless, before LA, Deepika’s focus is on the remaining World Cups, the national trials, and the Asian Games next year.“My coach and I have been trying a new approach. We’re blending his experience with my style. I want to become the senior world champion,” she sighs.