28/09/2025
Armless Archer from Jammu, Sheetal Devi, Wins Historic Gold at Para World Championship 🏹
In a remarkable achievement, Sheetal Devi — born without arms and hailing from the Kishtwar district in Jammu & Kashmir — has made history by winning the gold medal in the women’s compound individual category at the Para World Archery Championship.
Key Highlights & Journey
Victory details: She defeated world No. 1 Öznur Cure Girdi of Türkiye with a close score of 146–143.
This win marks her first world championship gold title.
Earlier, she and teammate Sarita won silver in the women’s compound open team event at the same championships.
Sheetal Devi was born in January 2007, in Loidhar, Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir, with a condition called phocomelia, which resulted in her being born without arms.
She was first spotted by the Indian Army during a youth sports event in 2019, who helped support her development and training.
Her coaches, Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Vedwan, adapted training techniques (inspired partly by the technique of Matt Stutzman, a well-known armless archer) to help her aim, release, and control the bow using her body, shoulders, legs, and jaw.
Previously, at the 2023 World Para Archery Championships (Pilsen, Czech Republic), Sheetal won silver, becoming the first female armless archer to medal at the event.
She has also secured multiple golds at the Asian Para Games 2022/2023, becoming the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in a single edition of the Games.
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she and Rakesh Kumar won a bronze medal in the mixed compound team event.