Sheetal Devi is the first on the 10-episode series featuring amazing life stories of celebrated athletes and fitness influencers
New Delhi: Combating life’s odds is a challenging affair. And when one does with clinical precision and amazing regularity, that person is simply extra-ordinary. One such superwoman, para archer Sheetal Devi. Her glorious journey is a story of how doubts transformed into triumph and how the society never treated her as a ‘special’ child.
Devi was born in 2007 with phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder leading to underdeveloped limbs. “My friends and teachers always stood by me but never in my wildest dreams did I think I will become an archer,” Devi said on the first episode of the ‘Fit India Champions’ podcast series, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
“When I saw people were using their hands (to shoot an arrow), I thought it was impossible to do that with my feet. But then I wanted to challenge myself. I didn’t want to become just another archer. I dreamt of doing something special … win an individual gold medal and now my aim is to win one at the Olympics,” added the 17-year-old.
Born in a village in Jammu and Kashmir, Devi, who took the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou by storm with two gold medals on debut in compound archery, received the Arjuna Award from the President of India Draupadi Murmu on January 9 this year.
Spotted by Army coaches during an event in Kistwar district, Sheetal’s relentless quest for excellence has made her a special athlete. “I have not gone home ever since I came to archery and won’t do so till I finish Paris Olympics, said Devi, who added that “focus and the ability to repeat a good performance are key to success in archery.”
“I train for six-seven hours every day, starting my day with stretching the bow and then start playing matches with my brother and sister. My inner mantra is ‘koshish karne walon ki kabhi haar nahi hoti’ and this helps me to win the matches,” revealed Devi.