18-year-old Sheetal Devi from Loidhar village in Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir is rewriting the rules of archery — and sports in India. Born without arms due to phocomelia, she uses her legs, shoulders and core strength to shoot a bow, and has already achieved world-class success: namely, a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Paralympics (mixed team compound) and gold at the 2025 World Para Archery Championships. Most recently, she made history by becoming the first Indian para-archer to qualify for the able-bodied national junior archery team for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 – Stage 3 in Jeddah.

Early life and entry into archery

Sheetal Devi was born in 2007 in Loidhar village, Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir.
She was born without arms — a congenital condition called phocomelia.
Despite this, she developed exceptional strength and coordination using her legs and torso, and entered archery with a customised technique. Her coaches adapted training to accommodate her unique style.
Her performance at youth-level events caught attention and she began training seriously under able-bodied as well as para-archery coaches.

Major achievements

At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Sheetal Devi won a bronze medal in the mixed team compound para-archery event, becoming India’s youngest Paralympic medallist in archery.
In 2023 and into 2024 she won gold at the Asian Para Games and high-level world para-archery titles, including becoming world number one in her category.
In November 2025, she secured selection in the Indian able-bodied junior compound archery team for Asia Cup Stage 3 in Jeddah — a historic first for an Indian para-athlete. At the national selection trials in Sonipat, she placed third among more than 60 able-bodied archers with a qualification score of 703 (352 + 351) and final score of 11.75 points in the matchplay phase.

Why her story matters

Breaking barriers in sport & inclusion: Sheetal’s selection for an able-bodied national team signals a shift in Indian sport toward meritocracy and inclusion — it shows that physical disability is no longer an automatic exclusion from mainstream competition.
Inspiration beyond archery: Her journey from a remote village in Kashmir to the international stage resonates across India, especially among young athletes, people with disabilities, and those in under-served regions.
Changing narratives around ability: By competing alongside able-bodied archers and succeeding, Sheetal challenges conventional ideas of what ‘able-bodied’ means, and drives home that skill, training and mindset count.
Influencing archery and talent pathways: Her training under both para-archery and mainstream setup shows how adaptive coaching and infrastructure can enable exceptional talent to emerge. This has implications for Indian sport development broadly.

Significance for Indian archery and para-sports

Archery India now has a vibrant para-archery corridor producing top global talent. Sheetal becoming world champion and now able-bodied team member elevates the profile of archery across categories.
Indian sport commentators view her selection as a landmark moment: as one article notes, “first para-athlete in India to be selected for an able-bodied international archery competition.”
Her success brings attention (and potentially resources) to athletes from Jammu & Kashmir and other regions traditionally under-represented in India’s elite sport system.
For para-sports, this underscores that the divide between “para” and “able-bodied” competition may narrow, enabling more fluid pathways and recognition for para-athletes in mainstream events.

Challenges ahead

Adaptation to able-bodied competition: Competing in able-bodied international events means stronger fields, higher expectations, and increased pressure; adapting technique, stamina and mental resilience will be vital.
Maintaining form across categories: Balancing participation in para- and able-bodied events requires planning, training adjustments and careful management of workload.
Infrastructure & support: Ensuring that she has access to the same high-end coaching, equipment and tournament exposure as able-bodied peers remains critical — especially given her unique technique.
Media and sponsorship dynamics: With rising profile comes public scrutiny and commercial pressures; nurturing the right environment will help preserve her performance focus.

What to watch

Asia Cup 2025 (Stage 3) in Jeddah: Her performance in December 2025 will mark her first able-bodied international tournament for India; how she fares will be a major indicator of her transition.
Selection for future major events: Will she be selected for senior able-bodied world championships or Asian Games? Her trajectory suggests that is possible.
Coaching innovations: How her training evolves — particularly technique adaptation, conditioning and competition strategy — will interest coaches and talent-developers across India.
Impact on Indian sport policy: Her success may accelerate inclusion policies, more integrated training programmes for para- and able-bodied athletes, and broader media/sponsorship attention to para-sports.

Sheetal Devi is more than an exceptional athlete — she is a symbol of possibility, change and excellence in Indian sport. Her ascent from the hills of Jammu & Kashmir, competing with a unique technique, winning global medals and now stepping into the mainstream able-bodied national team is a narrative of resilience and talent. For Indian fans of sport, inclusion and inspiration, she stands out — not just in her discipline of archery but in the larger story of Indian sport evolving toward greater fairness and talent recognition.

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Sakethyadav

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A remarkable rise: India’s armless archery prodigy breaking boundaries