In a landmark moment for Indian archery, 17-year-old Sheetal Devi from Jammu & Kashmir secured her place in the Indian junior compound women’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup Stage 3 (2025) in Jeddah.
Sheetal finished third in the Junior Selection Trials held at SAI NCOE Sonipat from November 3 to 6, organised by the Archery Association of India, marking the first time in Indian history that a para athlete has earned selection to an able-bodied national team for an international competition.
Sheetal, already a world-level achiever in para archery, entered the trials without external spectacle or special introduction. She competed under the same scoring system, distances, and match-play structure as every other junior compound archer. Her performance was measured solely on scoring consistency and she delivered.
Consistency in Qualification Rounds
The qualification phase was Sheetal’s strongest statement. According to the official scoring sheet from the event, Sheetal shot:
- 352 points in 50m Round 1
- 351 points in 50m Round 2
- Total: 703
This total matched Tejal Rajendra Salve, who also shot 703, and the two shared the top qualification position. The tie in total score reflected not a one-off peak, but steady arrow grouping and rhythm across ends.
In junior compound women’s qualification scoring across domestic trials this year, totals of 700+ have generally represented the top competitive band. Sheetal placed herself inside that band from the opening day, indicating form stability and progression beyond the para circuit.
Navigating the Round Robin and Match Play
Where the trial format demanded more than qualification scoring, Sheetal adapted. The Junior Asia Cup selection system uses three weighted sections:
- Event 1: Qualification + match outcomes
- Event 2: Second phase rankings
- Match 3: Additional matches with bonus/penalty adjustments
Each phase awards points toward a combined final score.
In Event 1, Sheetal finished with an E1 Rank of 3, earning 4.5 points.
However, Event 2 was her most challenging segment. She finished 8th, contributing 2.5 points a reminder that selection trials demand sustained performance over multiple days, against varied draw conditions and pressure rhythms.
In Match 3, Sheetal finished 3rd, earning 3.5 points, with a minor −0.25 penalty adjustment, resulting in a clean finish and no ranking loss.
When all three segments were aggregated:
| Athlete | E1 Points | E2 Points | E3 Points (Adjusted) | Final Total | Rank |
| Tejal Rajendra Salve | 6.75 | 4 | 5.75 | 15.75 | 1 |
| Vaidehi Hirachandra Jadhav | 5.5 | 5.25 | 4.5 | 15 | 2 |
| Sheetal Devi | 4.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 10.5 | 3 |
Her third-place finish placed her inside the Indian squad list, confirming selection.
A Breakthrough Beyond Medals
While the result sheet records ranks and points, the significance of the outcome extends far deeper than numerical placement. Sheetal Devi shoots without arms. She draws and releases the bow using adaptive technique, core strength, and shoulder movement a method that has already brought her World Championship and Asian Para Games gold medals.
Yet, the importance of this moment lies not in her para achievements, but in the fact that the selection committee, trial system, and competitors recognised her performance as equal to her peers, without differential category.
This was a trial where:
- No entry was marked by classification.
- Scoring sheets recorded only numbers.
- Selection was determined only by results.
Sheetal qualified because she scored better, not because she was invited, recommended, or exempted. This sets a new standard in Indian sport, where pathway access is not dictated by category, but capability.
The Changing Landscape of Indian Archery
Indian archery has historically maintained separate pathways and federated calendars for para and able-bodied athletes. Sheetal’s inclusion demonstrates that high-performance technical systems, when designed around scoring excellence rather than binary categories, can widen opportunity without lowering competitive standard. The Asia Cup is not a developmental or exhibition tournament.
It is a recognised international ranking event. Sheetal’s selection places her on the same start line as junior archers who may represent India in senior World Cups and, within cycles, the Olympics.
The institutional significance is as large as the personal achievement.
What Comes Next
The Asia Cup Stage 3 in Jeddah will serve as a proving ground not to validate technique, which the trials already confirmed, but to test adaptability under international travel, venue, and wind conditions alongside able-bodied counterparts. For the national system, this selection may open precedent for future integration assessments not as charity, but as earned pathway.
For young para athletes across India, Sheetal’s result rewrites the ceiling.
A Moment That Will Be Remembered
On a routine selection results sheet, her name appears without label or footnote:
AAI-9022 — Sheetal Devi — Jammu & Kashmir — Rank 3
That is the breakthrough. She has not just made a team.
She has changed the definition of what is possible in Indian sport.
