Dola Banerjee is an Indian sportswoman who has made her name and fame through archery in India. She is a popular Indian archer and was born on 2nd June, 1980.
Early life of Dola Banerjee
Dola Benerjee is the younger daughter of Kalpana Banerjee and Ashok Banerjee. She was born in Baranagar, located in the Indian city of Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. She studied in Baranagar Rajkumari Memorial Girls High School. At a young age of just 8 years old, Dola joined the Baranagar Archery Club.
Career of Dola Benerjee
Barely 16 years old, Dola Banerjee made her first international debut in the Youth World Championship in San Diego in 1996. That was the start and since then she has represented India in several national and international competitions and is a regular member of the Indian archery team. Dola Banerjee represented India at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She was ranked 13th in the women`s individual ranking round with a 72 arrow score of 642.
Dola Banerjee won the second international gold medal of her career when she bagged the individual title of the fourth leg of the Meteksan World Cup archery at Dover (England) in August 2007. After winning the 4th leg, she qualified for World Cup final held at Dubai in November 2007 where the winner of four legs competed. She became the world champion in archery by winning the gold medal in women`s individual competition at the archery World Cup held at Dubai in November 2007.
A member in the Sports Development body of the West Bengal Government since July 2011, Dola Banerjee has played a key role in the development of sports in her state. Her contributions in the national level cannot be ignored as over the years she has won more than 52 gold, 21 silver and 8 bronze medals.
2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
She represented India in the women`s individual competition as well as team events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but was unable to reach the finals of both the events. They were also ranked 6th in the qualifiers. In the individual event, however, she was ranked 31st and lost to Marie-Pier Beaudet of Canada by 8-10 in the tie break, after scoring 108-108 in the full set of arrows.
2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games
In 2010 Commonwealth Games held in the Indian capital of New Delhi she bagged Gold Medal in Women`s Team Recurve with Deepika Kumari and L Bombayala Devi. She also won a Bronze medal on the Recurve Individual event.
Awards Received by Dola Banerjee
Dola Banerjee happens to be the second women archer from India to be honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2005 by the Government of India. She is also the first woman to have been qualified in the Olympics in the individual event on 2004 Athens Olympic. Dola Banerjee was also the recipient of gold in the 2007 World Cup final, along with the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Listed below are some of her achievements:
| Year | Competition | Place |
| 2003 | 42nd World Archery Championship | Lost in Quarter Final |
| 2003 | 13th Asian Archery Championship | 4th Place |
| 2004 | 2nd European Grand Prix | 4th Place |
| 2004 | 3rd European Grand Prix | 7th and 8th Place |
| 2004 | XXVII Olympic Games | 8th Place |
| 2005 | European Grand Prix | Gold and Silver |
| 2005 | Senior World Archery Championship | 4th Place |
| 2005 | Asian Archery Championship | Bronze |
| 2006 | SAF Championship | Twice Gold |
| 2006 | 1st World Cup | Participated |
| 2006 | 2nd World Cup | Lost in Quarter Final |
| 2006 | SAF Games | Twice Gold |
| 2006 | 4th World Cup | 4th Place |
| 2006 | Asian Circuit | Silver |
| 2006 | Asian Games | 4th Place |
| 2007 | 1st World Cup | Lost in Quarter Final |
| 2007 | 2nd World Cup | Participated |
| 2007 | 2nd World Cup | Participated |
| 2007 | 4th World Cup | Gold and Bronze |
| 2007 | World Archery Championship | ÿ- |
| 2007 | Asian Archery Championship | Bronze |
| 2007 | Asian Archery Grand Prix | Gold |
| 2007 | World Cup Final | Gold |
| 2008 | 1st Archery World Cup | Participated |
| 2008 | 2nd Archery World Cup | Participated |
| 2008 | 3rd Archery World Cup | Participated |
| 2008 | XXIX Olympic Games | 7th Place |
| 2008 | Asian Grand Prix | Gold |
| 2009 | 1st World Cup | Bronze |
| 2009 | 2nd World Cup | 4th Place |
| 2009 | 3rd World Cup | Bronze |
| 2009 | 45th World Archery Championship | Participated |
| 2009 | 4th Asian Grand Prix | Bronze and Gold |
| 2009 | 5th Asian Grand Prix | Twice Gold |
| 2010 | SAF Games | Twice Gold |
| 2010 | 1st Asian Grand Prix | Gold |
| 2010 | 1st World Cup | Participated |
| 2010 | 2nd World Cup | 4th Place |
| 2010 | 3rd World Cup | Silver |
| 2010 | 19th Commonwealth Games | Bronze and Gold |
| 2010 | 16th Asian Games | Bronze |