PM Narendra Modi interacts with para archer Sheetal Devi

PM Narendra Modi interacts with para archer Sheetal Devi

PM Narendra Modi interacts with para archer Sheetal Devi

PM Narendra Modi interacts with para archer Sheetal Devi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with para archer Sheetal Devi who won gold at the Asian Para Games, at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.

Who is Sheetal Devi

Armless archer Sheetal Devi, 16, hailing from Loidhar village in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, has made headlines by securing three medals in the Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou in China. Born with Phocomelia, a disorder causing under-developed limbs, Sheetal began training for the sport only two years ago.

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However, her journey towards becoming a celebrated para-athlete was scripted in the years she spent climbing trees for fun in her native whilst growing up. This leisure activity significantly strengthened her upper body, helped improve her athleticism, and made scouts take notice of her talent in archery during a local event organised by the Indian Army in 2021.

A ray of hope emerged in the form of her potentially getting a prosthetic arm and venturing into the world of sports, but it did not fit and hence Sheetal’s mentors and guide felt like they had hit the end of the road here.

A few days ago, a 16-year-old archer, Sheetal Devi, grabbed headlines for winning gold medals at the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the first female archer without arms to do so. Her story is inspirational because she used her legs to mimic the functions of the hands and retrain her motor functions. She was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that causes under-developed limbs, and in her case stubby hands.