Army-backed Sheetal Devi’s journey from J&K village to Asian Para Games podium

Jammu, Nov 4 (PTI) Born without arms into a poor family in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, Sheetal Devi’s life was more of hardship and less of hope until the Indian Army “adopted” her and helped change its course.

And, in a short span of time, she turned into an ace para-archer and secured a record haul of three medals – two gold and one silver – at the just-concluded Asian Para Games in China’s Hangzhou.

The 16-year-old returned home to a rousing welcome this week with her feat drawing applaud and admiration from all quarters.

An official said Devi was born into a poor family in Loi Dhar village in the remote forested mountains of Kishtwar district. Despite all their hardships, her parents – Maan Singh and Shakti Devi – took care of their specially-abled child and sent her to a school.

Their hardship turned into hope when the Indian Army spotted her in 2019 and started helping the family, the official said.

The Dogra Regiment, or 11 Rashtriya Rifles, of the Army adopted her in May 2020 and she started taking part in various “sadbhavana” (goodwill) activities organised for the youth.

In May 2021, the Army regiment approached Meghna Girish, the mother of Major Akshay Girish who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation in November 2016, to help Devi get artificial hands, the official said.

He said Meghna Girish was prompt to approach actor Anupam Kher and after a series of discussions among all people involved, Devi got the state-of-the-art bionic arms in October 2021 from Bengaluru, fitted by renowned doctor Srikanth and his team.

During the time she was in Bengaluru, Preeti Rai of NGO The Being You, came into the picture and introduced her to many sportspersons to motivate her to take up para sports, the official said.

He said that after a series of tests, Rai found that para archery was where Devi will make a mark.

She was then introduced to coaches Kuldeep Baidwan and Abhilasha Chaudhary. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board provided her training and other support.

The Rashtriya Rifle battalion coordinated all her activities and helped her family.

Devi got first international exposure in May this year and won medals for the country at the world archery event before making Jammu and Kashmir and the country proud at the Asian Para Games.

Devi, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week before returning to Jammu and Kashmir, said he “blessed me and motivated me to continue playing better in the days to come.”

She is now determined to secure gold at the Paralympic Games to be held in Paris next year, the official added.