Arjuna Awardee Sheetal Devi is a para-archer from Jammu and Kashmir who overcame her phocomelia situation to turn out to be the arena’s first armless feminine archer. She no longer handiest claimed medals on the Para Global Archery Championships and the Para Asian Video games but in addition emerged as a logo of breaking limitations.
On 9 January 2024, para-archer Sheetal Devi used to be conferred with the distinguished Arjuna Award for her strange accomplishments in para-archery. The teenage lady from Jammu and Kashmir is famend as the arena’s first armless feminine archer.
“Nowadays is particular!! Honoured to obtain the distinguished Arjuna Award from the honourable President of India. Thanks all in favour of the affection, enhance and encouragement,” she stated on X (previously Twitter).
Hailing from the Loidhar village of Kishtwar, Sheetal used to be born with phocomelia, an extraordinary scientific situation that affected her arm building. Nonetheless, it didn’t impede her decision to pursue archery. She used to be impressed by way of staring at paralympic swimmer Sharath Gayakwad and blind Indian cricketer Shekhar Naik to pursue sports activities.
Heartfelt congratulations to Sheetal Devi on being bestowed with the Arjuna Award for her strange accomplishments in Para-Archery.
Sheetal, you’re a function type for the country and the arena; you may have made the arena recognize your pastime, zeal, and difficult paintings. Would possibly you… percent.twitter.com/0kOrh4io0Q— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) January 9, 2024
In 2021, Sheetal entered into the world of para-archery when scouts noticed her prowess in archery at a neighborhood tournament that used to be organised by way of the Indian Military. Quickly, she started her coaching for para archery on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports activities Advanced in Katra.
Prior to her, the coaches had by no means educated any individual with out higher limbs, however they’d complete religion within the younger lady’s decision.
She gained steerage from former archer and trainer Kuldeep Vedwan. Beneath his steerage, she evolved and redefined her abilities to undertake one way of utilising her ft and legs for capturing. With this, she evolved bodily prowess — a the most important basis for her pursuit of archery.
In 2022, Sheetal participated within the Junior Nationwide Championships amongst abled archers in Goa. Despite the fact that she didn’t win a medal in that event, she hogged the limelight together with her unique efficiency, leaving everybody spellbound by way of sitting on a chair and capturing the bow together with her leg.
Whilst different archers pleasure themselves on their arm power and dexterity, Sheetal credited her legs for this.
And because then, there was no taking a look again.
The usage of her higher frame and decrease limbs to shoot the arrow, she additionally emerged as the primary armless girl to clinch a Para Global Archery Championships medal in 2023. She defeated Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah 144-142 within the gold medal-deciding fixture.
On the age of 16, Sheetal scripted historical past on the Para Asian Video games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, by way of profitable 3 medals — two gold and one silver.
With this, she turned into the primary Indian girl athlete to assert two gold medals in one version of the Asian Para Video games. She additionally succeeded in bagging a silver medal within the ladies’s doubles pageant.
She endured to exhibit her abilities on the inaugural version of the Khelo India Para Video games 2023, clinching a gold medal.
Sheetal has additionally gained appreciation from the Union Minister of Sports activities and Formative years Affairs, Anurag Thakur, who said that the arena has to be informed so much from her. He tweeted, “Sheetal, you’re a function type for the country and the arena; you may have made the arena recognize your pastime, zeal, and difficult paintings. Would possibly you still push obstacles and encourage us to take action.”
Having carried out brilliantly, Sheetal is now an inspiration for everybody who needs to break away.
Supply:
Meet Sheetal Devi: Para-Archer From J&Ok Honoured With Arjuna Award: Revealed by way of Occasions Now on 9 January 2024.
Sheetal Devi: The inspiring tale of India’s armless archer who’s an Asian champion: Revealed by way of Firstpost on 9 January 2024.
Edited by way of Pranita Bhat