At just 18 years old, Sheetal Devi has already crafted a sporting résumé that would be the envy of even the most seasoned athletes.
Born without arms, the teenage archer has turned what many would consider a limitation into her greatest strength, rewriting history for India in para archery with an incredible mix of resilience, precision, and sheer willpower. Her meteoric rise is not just a story of medals but a testament to the human spirit’s ability to triumph over adversity.
A Medal Collection Beyond Her Years, In a span of barely three years, Sheetal has amassed an extraordinary 10 medals across the biggest stages of world para archery:
- World Championships: 🥇 Gold, 🥈🥈 Two Silvers, 🥉 Bronze
- Paralympic Games: 🥉 Bronze
- Asian Para Games: 🥇🥇 Two Golds, 🥈 Silver
- Asian Championship: 🥇 Gold, 🥈 Silver
This staggering haul includes the historic World Championship individual gold, which made her the first female armless archer to win a world title. For a teenager competing against the world’s best, this record is not just impressive it is transformative for para sports in India.
Historic World Championship Gold
The defining moment of Sheetal’s career so far came at the 2025 Para Archery World Championships, where she captured the women’s compound open individual title in spectacular fashion. Facing Turkey’s reigning Paralympic and world champion Oznur Girdi in the final, Sheetal maintained steely composure to deliver a 146-143 victory. With this triumph, she achieved what no Indian para archer male or female had accomplished before: an individual world championship gold medal. The win was not just about precision shooting; it was a statement of mental toughness. Sheetal, who draws her bow with her feet, outperformed a seasoned field of competitors who had years of experience and technical advantage.
Her victory is being hailed as a landmark moment for Indian archery, symbolizing how determination and innovation can break barriers and set new standards in sport.
A Podium Regular Across Events
Sheetal’s World Championship campaign was remarkable not only for her individual title but also for her consistent podium finishes across multiple categories.
In the compound open mixed team event, she partnered with Toman Kumar to win a bronze medal, defeating Britain’s Nathan Macqueen and Jodie Grinham 152-149 in a high-scoring encounter. In the women’s doubles, Sheetal teamed up with Sarita to claim a silver medal, narrowly losing to Turkey’s pair of Oznur and Fatma 148-152 in the gold medal match.
These team results underline her versatility, proving that she is not only a solo performer but also a reliable partner in pressure situations.
The Indian men added their own share of drama and success at the championships, ensuring that India remained at the heart of the medal conversation. Toman Kumar emerged as the world champion in the men’s compound individual event, cementing his place as one of the sport’s most formidable competitors. His path to gold was not without drama. In the much-anticipated all-Indian final, Rakesh Kumar was forced to withdraw after just four shots due to a pulley malfunction in his bow, leaving Toman to secure the title.
Despite the heartbreak, Rakesh’s sportsmanship and fighting spirit were widely praised, with the veteran vowing to return stronger. India nearly completed a podium sweep in the men’s compound event, but Shyam Sunder Swami fell short in the bronze medal match, losing to Britain’s Nathan Macqueen 141-148.
Sheetal’s World Championship success builds on her achievements at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where she clinched a bronze medal, becoming one of India’s youngest Paralympic medallists. Her ability to replicate her form across multi-sport competitions was evident at the Asian Para Games, where she won two gold medals and a silver, and at the Asian Championships, where she added another gold and silver to her growing collection.
These victories have positioned her as the undisputed face of Indian para archery, inspiring a generation of young athletes to take up the sport.
Sarita’s Steady Presence
While Sheetal’s exploits captured headlines, fellow Indian archer Sarita also continued her strong run in world competitions. Her silver in the women’s doubles with Sheetal added to her impressive career tally, which now includes:
- 2023 World Championships – Gold in the Mixed Team with Rakesh Kumar
- 2023 World Championships – Bronze in Women’s Doubles with Jyoti
- 2025 World Championships – Silver in Women’s Doubles with Sheetal Devi
Sarita’s consistency underscores the depth of Indian talent in para archery and the growing camaraderie within the team.
Sheetal Devi’s story transcends sport. Born without arms, she learned to use her legs and feet with extraordinary dexterity, developing a unique shooting technique that has stunned experts worldwide. Her journey from a small village in Jammu and Kashmir to the top of the world podium serves as a beacon of hope and motivation for countless individuals facing physical or societal barriers. Her rise also highlights the growing support for para sports in India, with improved training facilities, coaching expertise, and institutional backing enabling athletes like Sheetal to excel on the global stage.
At only 18, Sheetal’s career is still in its early stages, but her achievements already place her among India’s greatest para-athletes. With the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics and future world championships on the horizon, she stands poised to add even more chapters to her extraordinary story.
For now, her world championship gold is not just a personal triumph but a moment of national pride, proving that limitations are only as strong as one’s willingness to accept them. Sheetal Devi has refused to accept any and in doing so, she has changed the landscape of para archery forever.
