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Sheetal Devi (Archer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth2007

Age17 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceLoi Dhar, Kishtwar District, Jammu and Kashmir, India

ProfessionArcher

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyMother (goatherd), Father (farmer), Sister Shivani

Sheetal Devi (Archer) Biography

Sheetal Devi is an Indian para-archer from Loi Dhar in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. Born in 2007 without hands, she learned to shoot using a specially made

Early life and background

Sheetal Devi was born in 2007 in the village of Loi Dhar in Kishtwar District, Jammu and Kashmir. She was born without hands and grew up in a family that relied on farming and goat herding. Her mother worked as a goatherd and her father was a farmer. She spent her childhood in Kashmir and showed a strong interest in school despite concerns that her disability might limit her opportunities.

Her family supported her education and ambitions. By 2022 she was studying in class 10, balancing academics with the early stages of her sporting life.

Career

Sheetal’s entry into archery began in 2022 after coach Kuldeep Vedwan learned about her through an army contact. She joined the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Archery Academy in Katra, where coaches adapted equipment and training to her needs. A custom bow was built for her so she could draw and release using her feet and chest rather than hands. Within a short period of intensive practice she mastered this unconventional technique.

She made her competitive debut in November 2022 at the Junior National Archery Championship, competing alongside able-bodied athletes. Nationally she won medals at Khelo India events, including a silver at the Khelo India Nationals and a bronze at the Women’s Khelo India Games.

Internationally, Sheetal debuted in May 2023 at a para tournament in the Czech Republic, where she earned two silver medals and a bronze. Later in 2023 she took part in the Para Archery Championship, achieving a fourth-place qualifying position in the compound women’s round and advancing through a semifinal to reach the final. That run made her the first female armless archer to reach a world final in archery.

At the 2023 Asian Para Games she added a silver in the women’s double compounds and two golds — one in the mixed team compound and one in the individual compound event. She was also part of India’s team at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where she won a bronze medal in the mixed team event.

Recognition and records

In July 2023 Sheetal was ranked 18th in the world in the Compound Women Open category. Her personal best in the Compound Women Qualification was recorded as 682 up to that date, and reports from her academy cited an even higher score achieved in training.

On 9 January 2024 she was awarded the Arjuna Award in recognition of her sporting achievements. Her performances at major international competitions also drew public attention, including praise from industry and public figures.

Public profile

Coaches at the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Archery Academy emphasized Sheetal’s work ethic: early starts, long practice days around school schedules, and rapid technical progress. Coaches Kuldeep Vedwan and Abhilasha worked with her to develop the technique of shooting without hands, using instructional material and adaptations informed by other armless archers.

Her story attracted support from the Indian Army, which helped sponsor her education and sought to arrange medical assistance and prosthetic limbs. She also received public recognition after her medal haul at the 2023 Asian Para Games.

Latest updates

Sheetal’s competitive trajectory continued through 2023 and into 2024 with medals at the Asian Para Games and a Paralympic bronze in Paris. In early 2024 she received the Arjuna Award.

Personal life

Sheetal is Indian and from Kashmir. She is unmarried and has one younger sister named Shivani. Her parents’ names are not publicly recorded in the available information. She has expressed a desire to study and had once hoped for prosthetics that would allow a conventional lifestyle and the possibility of becoming a teacher before her archery career took shape.

Legacy and impact

Sheetal’s rapid rise from a rural village to international podiums, achieved through adapted equipment and intensive coaching, has made her a notable figure in para-archery. Her achievements have broadened awareness of athletes competing without hands and demonstrated how tailored training and community support can create new opportunities in sport.
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Recent Work

2023 Asian Para Games medals

Silver in women’s double compounds; Golds in mixed team compound and individual compound

2023
2024 Paralympics Games

Bronze medal in the mixed team event

2024
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Career Highlights

  1. First female armless archer to reach a world final in archery
  2. Two silver medals and a bronze at a para tournament in the Czech Republic (May 2023)
  3. Medals at Khelo India events (silver and bronze)
  4. Three medals at the 2023 Asian Para Games (one silver, two golds)
  5. Bronze medal in mixed team event at the 2024 Paralympics Games
  6. Recipient of the Arjuna Award on 9 January 2024
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Sheetal Devi (Archer) born?

2007

What is Sheetal Devi (Archer) known for?

Archer

What is Sheetal Devi (Archer)’s marital status?

Unmarried