Sheetal Devi

Sheetal Devi (born 10 January 2007) is an Indian para-archer. She won a bronze medal in the mixed team compound event at the 2024 Paralympics, becoming the youngest Indian Paralympian medalist. She won two gold medals and one silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games. Devi won a silver medal at the World Para Archery Championship, as well as a gold and a silver at the Asian Para Archery Championships. She is a recipient of the Arjuna Award and was ranked first in the para world archery rankings in 2023.

Sheetal Devi

Devi at the 2022 Asian Para Games
Personal information
Nationality	Indian
Born	(2007-01-10) 10 January 2007 (age 18) Loidhar, Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Sport
Sport	Archery
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	703 / 720 (2024) 1399 WR (2024)
Medal record Women's Para-archery Representing  India Event 1st 2nd 3rd Paralympic Games 0 0 1 World Championships 0 1 0 Asian Para Games 2 1 0 Asian Championships 1 1 0 Total 3 3 1 Paralympic Games 2024 Paris Mixed team World Championships 2023 Plzeň Individual Asian Para Games 2022 Hangzhou Individual 2022 Hangzhou Mixed team 2022 Hangzhou Doubles Asian Championships 2023 Bangkok Mixed team 2023 Bangkok Individual

Devi was born with phocomelia, a rare medical condition resulting in the absence of arms. She is the first and only female para-archery champion without upper limbs.

Early life and education

Sheetal Devi was born on 10 January 2007^[1] in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.^[2] She was born with a rare medical condition called phocomelia, which resulted in her being born without arms.^[3]

In 2019, she attended a youth event in Kishtwar, where she was noticed by the Indian Army's Rashtriya Rifles unit, which led to the army supporting her education and providing medical assistance.^[4]

Career and achievements

Sheetal Devi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024.

At a youth event organized by the Indian Army, Devi caught the attention of coaches Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Wadhwan, who were impressed by her confidence and decided to begin her training. Although they initially considered using prosthetics to assist her, doctors advised that it was not possible in her case. Devi's ability to climb trees using only her legs had significantly developed her core strength, which became important in her training.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

The coaches had never trained someone without arms for archery before. However, after researching and learning about Matt Stutzman, an archer who uses his legs, they began her training. Within 11 months of training, Devi competed in the women's compound bow event at the 2022 Asian Para Games,^[5][2][10] where she won two gold medals for India.^[5] She secured gold in the mixed doubles and women's individual, in addition to a silver medal in the women's double compound event,^[11][6] which moved her to the top of the para world archery rankings in the women's compound open category.^[12]

On 9 January 2024, Devi received the Arjuna Award 2023 from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.^[13][14] She became the youngest athlete to compete in women's para archery at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.^[15] She surpassed the previous world record of 698 points in the ranking round with an impressive score of 703, qualifying for the 1/16 elimination round in the women's individual compound open category.^[16][17][18] Despite being eliminated by just 1 point in the 1/8 elimination round,^[19][20] she overcame the setback by winning a bronze medal in the mixed team compound open category alongside Rakesh Kumar at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.^[21][22]

Awards

International

• Best Youth Athlete of the Year 2023 by Asian Paralympic Committee^[23][24]
• Best Women Para Archer of the Year 2023 by World Archery^[25]

National

• Arjuna award (2023)^[26][27]