The oldsters had introduced a untouched pair of bangles to position on Sheetal’s synthetic limbs, which she at all times dreamt of dressed in since her early life.Belonging to Loidhar village in Jammu’s Kishtwar, Sheetal used to be born with Phocomelia – an extraordinary congenital deformity through which the fingers are underdeveloped.Alternatively, disheartening information adopted. The prosthetic fingers and sockets didn’t have compatibility her and needed to be right away got rid of, retirement everybody distraught. No person within the nation may pleasure that evening, together with Bangalore-based storytelling start-up ‘Being You’ founder Preethi Rai who had first met Sheetal in 2021 and took it upon herself to assistance the para-archer carve out her personal id.
“I can’t even describe how bad I felt when the prosthetic arms were removed. It was like my dreams had been shattered. I had bought a pair of bangles with the hope that I could wear them one day. I wanted to have a normal life just like my brother and sister. However, I didn’t lose hope.
“My parents and Preethi didi stood like a pillar and helped me overcome that traumatising experience. I found my new identity in the field of sports when I was introduced to para archery on the advice of Iyengar,” Sheetal advised TOI in an interview.
(ANI Photo)
“Initially, I found it difficult to lift the bow with my feet (a technique inspired by the famous armless archer Matt Stutzman). It was not easy to handle the bow and arrow but I managed it somehow with the able guidance of my coaches Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Vedwan. I was told that I can try three sports – swimming, running and archery – and I opted for archery since I used to do my household chores with my feet,” she said.
Within a year, Sheetal showed the world what she was capable of.
In her debut Para Asian Games in Hangzhou last month, she bagged two gold medals and a silver, followed by another set of gold medals at the recently concluded Para Asian Championships to become the World No. 1 in the women’s open compound section. Now, she has set her sights on claiming a gold at the Paris Paralympics next year.
“Yes, that’s the target and I am quite confident about achieving it. I have fallen in love with my new life as a para archer and I am enjoying every bit of it. My story is one of fierce grit and determination and I am proud of my journey.”
(ANI Photo)
Sheetal had never stepped out of Jammu until two years ago when she competed in her first junior-level tournament in Jind in January last year where she drew a blank. Her scoresheet read 0 out of 100 as she missed all her targets. But not one to lose hope, she quickly made amends to her technique and stood fourth during an able-bodied competition in Sonepat later that year.
Her game also benefited after she enrolled herself at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board’s archery academy in Katra in March last year. Within seven months, the results started to show and she won her first medal at the junior para Nationals in Goa in November that year.
Sheetal’s biggest breakthrough came at the Hangzhou para Asiad where she won three medals.
(Sheetal together with her oldsters – ANI Picture)
“I wanted to become a teacher since I never thought about a career in sports because of being differently abled from birth. For 14 years of my early life, the goal was to join a school as a teacher. However, things changed quite dramatically for me when I was introduced to para archery. It was all destined and I am happy with my career choice. I can now financially support my parents who are both farmers. There’s no bigger joy than representing your country at the highest level.”
She added: “I would like to tell differently-abled people to not feel inferior about themselves. Initially, I also didn’t like the sight of people staring at me, making fun of my being differently abled. Now, the same set of people praise me and acknowledge my journey.”
