Archery's Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das get married!

Indian archers Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari got married in a small ceremony in Ranchi, Jharkhand on Tuesday.

The Olympian couple ensured that the health and safety protocols for the COVID pandemic were followed on their big day.

Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari only printed 60 invitations and their wedding was attended by around 100 people in two batches of 50 each and all guests were provided with masks and sanitizers on arrival, reported India Today.

The attendees included high-profile guests like Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and the new president of the Archery Association of India (AAI) Arjun Munda, who has also served as the chief minister of Jharkhand previously.

Growing stronger together

Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari first met each other as apprentices at the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur in 2008 and started dating three years ago, and their long friendship meant that they clicked immediately.

"We've known each other for so long so there's a strong bond of friendship and a whole lot of comfort between us,” Atanu Das had told ESPN in an interview.

He also admitted to learning a lot from his now-wife. 

“I admire her attitude of wanting to get things done and the efforts she puts into her physical fitness. It has not slackened in all the years I've known her,” added Atanu Das.

The Indian archers have played together in many events over the years, and while they have won many individual medals, their only medal together came in the form of a bronze in the mixed team event at the 2016 Archery World Cup in Shanghai, China.

Atanu Das, who made his Olympics debut at Rio 2016 and Deepika Kumari, who has represented India at the London and Rio Olympics and is a former world no. 1, have both secured quota places for Indian archers at the Tokyo Olympics next year.

It would likely represent the first time that a husband-wife duo from the same sport will represent India at the Olympics.