In an extraordinary display of human resilience and innovation, 18-year-old Sheetal Devi is rewriting the rules of Indian sports. Born without arms, this remarkable archer has become the first Indian para athlete to secure a spot on the able-bodied national archery team, marking an unprecedented achievement in Indian sports history.
The Unstoppable Spirit
Sheetal Devi's story is one of constant triumph over limitations. From eating and writing with her toes to climbing trees with ease during her childhood, there's virtually nothing she cannot accomplish. Her physiotherapist Aalaap Jawadekar recalls a telling incident from the Paris Paralympics where Sheetal, using only her toes, managed to open a locked door that had stumped everyone else. "The more you think she can't do something," Jawadekar marvels, "the more she'll prove you wrong."
Last week, Sheetal demonstrated this indomitable spirit in the most concrete terms possible. Competing against 60 able-bodied archers in the compound women's trials for the Asia Cup in Jeddah, she finished an impressive third, earning her historic selection to the national team.
Innovative Archery Techniques
When archery coach Kuldeep Vedwan first encountered Sheetal four years ago, the fundamental challenge was creating a mechanism that would allow her to shoot arrows. "She asked me, 'Even if I lift the bow with my legs, how will I let the arrow fly?'" Vedwan remembered.
The solution came from studying American armless archer Matt Stutzman's techniques. Vedwan designed a specialized release aid system where a strap wraps around Sheetal's chest with a release aid positioned over her right shoulder. She hooks this onto the bow string and uses her jaw to push the trigger, releasing the arrow in one fluid motion.
This innovation came with its own challenges. The constant pressure on her chin caused wounds, as physiotherapist Ayushi Tomer explains: "The chin is not used to that kind of load since it has a softer muscle structure. Because of the pressure, the recoil used to hit the chin, and it really pained a lot."
Revolutionary Training Methods
Sheetal's training regimen is as unique as her shooting technique. Her release sequence begins with using her legs to load the arrow and lifting the 53-pound bow between her toe and second digit before the seamless release.
According to Anukool Bharadwaj, head of the Paralympic programme at OGQ, "a lot of what she does comes from her natural strength. But she has also built up her power through strength training. She's far stronger now than she was four years ago."
Her trainers have incorporated unconventional methods, including using clay to strengthen her grip and refine control. "In shooting, it helps manage trigger pressure," Tomer explains. "I knew it would help her steady the bow." Even during travel, Sheetal carries clay to practice maintaining consistent pressure with her toes.
Perhaps most astonishing is her weight training. Jawadekar describes watching Sheetal sit on a stool and grip a 5kg dumbbell between her toe and second digit - the same position she uses to hold her bow. "It's insane how she manages to hold it for like a good 2-3 minutes. It's impossible!" he exclaims.
Through natural core strength, frugal innovation, and cutting-edge sports science, Sheetal Devi continues to defy expectations and physics itself, proving that true limitation exists only in the mind, not the body.
