Young Armless Archer Sheetal Devi Claims Three Medals at Asian Para Games
Sheetal's Triumph Over Phocomelia: Conquering Archery Challenges with Determination. Despite underdeveloped limbs, she mastered the bow through relentless practice
Sumit Rawat
Sheetal Devi, a 16-year-old archer hailing from Loidhar village in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, has achieved a remarkable feat at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, earning recognition as the "first female archer without arms to compete internationally" by the sport's governing body, World Archery.
During the competition, Sheetal secured an impressive collection of medals, including a silver in the women's doubles compound event and two gold medals in the mixed doubles and women's individual categories. Her most recent victory came in the women's compound event, where she clinched the gold by defeating Alim Nur Syahidah of Singapore.
Sheetal was born with Phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder resulting in underdeveloped limbs. Despite initial challenges, Sheetal's dedication and perseverance allowed her to overcome these hurdles, transforming her into a skilled archer.
Her journey began in 2021 when she participated in a youth event organized by the Indian Army in Kishtwar. Sheetal's athleticism caught the attention of scouts, and her remarkable story led to a collaboration between the Major Akshay Girish Memorial Trust in Bengaluru and Being You, an online storytelling platform. Although the initially attempted prosthetic arm didn't fit, Sheetal's strong upper body opened doors to alternative sports like archery, swimming, and running.
Her training took place at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, under the guidance of coaches Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Vedwan. Despite facing an unprecedented challenge in coaching an archer without arms, the duo improvised with innovative equipment modifications. Sheetal's daily practice regimen involved shooting hundreds of arrows, gradually building her strength and accuracy.
Six months into her training, she secured a silver medal at the Para Open Nationals in Sonepat and even competed admirably against able-bodied archers at the Open Nationals. Sheetal's determination to succeed was fueled by her family's hard work to provide for her and her siblings, as her father toiled on a farm and her mother cared for the family's goats.
In addition to her Asian Para Games achievements, Sheetal earned a silver medal at the World Para Archery Championships in Pilsen, Czech Republic, making history as the first female armless archer to achieve such recognition on the world stage.
