Sheetal Devi is first female armless world champion in para archery
Had to rebuild her shooting stance after a rule change by World Archery
Adjustment required painful constraining to shoot using just toe and front of foot
18-year-old realises dream she voiced at Kaun Banega Crorepati
In November 2024, during Amitabh Bachchan's popular television show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', para-archer Sheetal Devi had expressed her heartfelt wish: to one day compete alongside able-bodied athletes at the highest level. Exactly a year later, in November 2025, that dream has become a remarkable reality.
Born without arms, Sheetal is the reigning world compound champion from Jammu and Kashmir. On Thursday, November 6, 2025, she broke new ground by being selected for the Indian able-bodied junior team for the upcoming Asia Cup Stage 3 in Jeddah, marking a historic first for an Indian para-athlete.
"When I started competing, I had a small dream — to one day compete alongside the able-bodied. I didn't make it at first, but I kept going, learning from every setback. Today, that dream is one step closer," Sheetal wrote on social media following the announcement. Her journey is a testament to perseverance and ambition.
Overcoming Setbacks And Achieving Selection
Competing among more than 60 able-bodied archers under identical conditions at the national selection trials held in Sonipat, Haryana, Sheetal, just 18 years old, finished third overall after four days of competition. She scored a total of 703 points (352+351) in qualification rounds, matching top qualifier Tejal Salve's impressive total.
In the final rankings, Tejal secured first place with 15.75 points, Vaidehi Jadhav took second with 15 points, and Sheetal edged out Maharashtra's Dnyaneshwari Gadadhe (11.5) to claim third with 11.75 points.
Sheetal's journey to this historic moment has been defined by grit, reinvention and quiet determination. Previously training at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, she already made history as the first female armless world champion in para archery.
However, the journey after the Paris Paralympics, where she bagged a bronze medal in the mixed team event, was arduous. Post-Paris, Sheetal moved to Patiala to train under coach Gaurav Sharma, who helped her rebuild her shooting stance after a rule change by World Archery that disallowed the heel from touching the bow.
The adjustment required painful constraining to shoot using just the toe and front of the foot. "She had to start from scratch,” Sharma told PTI. "The new stance demanded immense control and stability. There were days her foot cramped in pain, but she never gave up.
"Her determination to perfect every detail made the difference." In a social media post titled ‘Rising Above the Whispers’, Sheetal had written about how she shut out the noise during her difficult phase.
“Earlier this year, I hit a rough patch. I missed practice sessions, lost matches, and that’s when the whispers began: ‘one-time wonder’, ‘her time has passed’. The new rules forced me to start from the basics again,” she wrote.
"I shut out the noise — no social media, no distractions. My coach told me, ‘Hume kisi ko jawab nahi dena... humara arrow jawab dega.’" as she went on to become the para world compound champion in Gwangju in September.
Coaching Support And International Inspiration
Sharma said he was not surprised by Sheetal's remarkable turnaround, noting that their preparation began about a year ago. "She’s always sorted, always focused. Honestly, I was in a daze when the final list came out. It’s unexpected and unreal — a para-athlete competing shoulder to shoulder with the country’s best able-bodied archers," he gushed.
Sharma added that their next goal is to balance Sheetal's para and able-bodied campaigns: "Next year, the Asian Para Games will be our main focus, no doubt. But we also plan to trial her for the able-bodied senior event and see how she performs."
He noted that if she claims a medal at the Asia Cup, it will be the first time a para-athlete achieves such a feat at the international level.
Sharma fondly recalled how Sheetal’s journey had come full circle: "In Kaun Banega Crorepati, she had said her dream was to represent India in able-bodied events and compete with the ‘normal’ athletes. And in just one year, she’s done it. Jo maanga tha, woh mil gaya."
Sheetal also drew early inspiration from Turkey's Oznur Cure Girdi, the reigning Paralympic champion who has competed in able-bodied events at the World Cup and World Games, even reaching the pre-quarterfinals against top contenders at Chengdu. Oznur won her first-ever medal in an able-bodied competition at the Istanbul 2025 Conquest Cup in May.
Teams:
Recurve – Men's: Rampal Choudhary (AAI), Rohit Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Mayank Kumar (Haryana); Women: Kondapavuluri Yuktha Sri (Andhra Pradesh), Vaishnavi Kulkarni (Maharashtra), Kratika Bichpuriya (Madhya Pradesh).
Compound – Men's: Pradhuman Yadav, Vasu Yadav, Devansh Singh (all Rajasthan); Women's: Tejal Salve, Vaidehi Jadhav (both Maharashtra), Sheetal Devi (Jammu and Kashmir).
(With PTI inputs)
