Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday felicitated the family of armless archer Sheetal Devi – the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in a single edition of the Asian Para Games, officials said.
Sheetal clinched the women's individual compound gold on October 27 to add to the yellow metal she won in the compound mixed team event the previous day. It was a hat-trick of medals for the 16-year-old who holds her bow with her foot. She had also won a silver in the women's doubles compound event.
Celebrating Sheetal Devi's remarkable talent and determination, the Kishtwar district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav visited Sheetal's family and extended a warm and heartfelt felicitation, the officials added.
The gold medallist's journey from her remote village of Loidhar in Kishtwar's Mughal Maidan, where she was born without hands due to phocomelia syndrome, to international recognition is a testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit.
The Indian Army noticed her talent during a camp in 2019 in the rugged mountains of her homeland and since then, Sheetal embarked on a journey to make her mark on the global stage. The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board also offered infrastructure for her training in Katra, the officials said.
The Kishtwar DC visited Sheetal's home to meet her family and personally congratulate them on their daughter’s extraordinary achievement, the officials said, adding that he also presented gifts to the family as a token of appreciation.
During his visit, Yadav conveyed to the family that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had extended their warm regards to the golden girl for bringing pride to the nation despite her congenital disabilities.
The DC assured Sheetal's family of the required support from the district administration.
The officials said Sheetal has become a symbol of pride, not only for her district and the Union Territory but also for the entire country.
Sheetal’s incredible achievements serve as an inspiration to all and demonstrate that with determination and support, one can overcome any obstacle to achieve greatness, they added.
Nearly 4,000 athletes from 43 countries are competing across 22 sports in 566 gold-medal events in the Hangzhou Asian Para Games that concluded on October 28. Indian para-athletes bagged 111 medals, the biggest haul for the country in any major international multi-sport event.
