Sheetal Devi (19), who comes from a humble family in the remote mountain village of Liodhar in Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir has brought laurels to the country by winning silver medal along with Payal Nag in the women’s double event in archery at the Asian Para Games – 2026.
Born with a rare congenital condition – Phocomelia – which affects the development of upper or lower limbs of a child, Sheetal never allowed her weakness to come in her way of her success.
In 2023, her sporting journey reached new heights when she won two gold medals and a silver medal at the Asian Para Games, in Hangzhou, China. Sheetal received the Arjuna Award in 2024.
Sheetal Devi’s journey in archery started at a local sports camp held by the Army in Kishtwar in 2021 under Operation Sadbhavana. The coaches of the Army were impressed by her confidence and grit as they discovered her talent and decided to help her in archery. The Army also supported her in education and medical treatment.
The armless archer who holds the bow with her foot became a sensation with her performance at multiple national and international games.
Her father Maan Singh is a farmer and her mother Shakti Devi is a housewife.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) started her professional training at the Board’s sports complex in Katra in 2022 and has also trained many other para-athletes at their modern sports complex.
Who is Sheetal Devi, Kishtwar’s armless archer who won silver at Asian Para Games?
