Born with phocomelia, a rare condition that leads to shortened or missing limbs. This condition resulted in arms being not fully formed of an 18-year-old para-archer, Sheetal Devi. Sheetal Devi, who hails from Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir was born on January 10th, 2007. Her transformative journey began in 2019 when the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles unit saw her remarkable presence during a youth event in Kishtwar. This resulted in Army supporting her academics and providing essential medical aids for her future.
While doctors deemed prosthetics impossible for Sheetal Devi, she amazed her coaches with her extraordinary ability of climbing trees using her legs. Her journey took flight at former archer and coach Kuldeep Vedwan’s academy. Her talent was unmatchable among the group of abled archers at national competitions. Her exemplary technique of shooting with feet and jaw is inspired by Matt Stutzman, an American armless archer.
In 2024, Sheetal Devi, alongside Rakesh Kumar, won a bronze medal in the Mixed Team Compound Open Archery event at the Paris Paralympics. This achievement made Sheetal India’s youngest Paralympic medallist at 17 years old and the first armless archer to win a medal at the Paralympics.
In 2023, Sheetal clinched silver medal in women’s individual compound event at World Archery Para Championships in the Czech Republic, becoming the first female armless archer to do so. Her success continued at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, where she clinched two gold medals in the mixed team and women’s individual compound events, along with a silver in the women’s doubles event. Her exceptional performances in 2023 earned her the world No. 1 ranking in para-archery.
Her national achievements include Arjuna Award (2023) by the Government of India and Best Women Para Archer of the Year (2023).
