Sheetal Devi, the 17-year-old armless archer from Jammu's underbelly, stole the spotlight again Friday as her Paris Paralympics gold was honored at a Rashtrapati Bhavan ceremony, where President Droupadi Murmu pinned her with the Arjuna Award. The Para youth icon, who shot India's first-ever compound gold without arms—using her feet—drew tears and applause from 500 dignitaries. "My bow is my voice," Devi said softly, her prosthetic-free precision replayed on giant screens, captivating a nation still buzzing from her 79.9/80 score.
Back in Bakal's dusty lanes, where Devi once scavenged scrap, neighbors gathered around a single TV, cheering as clips aired. "She was the girl who dreamed with stones; now she's our star," recalled aunt Leela Devi, 45, amid sweets distributed village-wide. The win, clinched in a nail-biting final against Brazil's Ana Claudia, sparked a 1 lakh surge in adaptive sports enrollments, per Sports Authority data, with Jammu academies overflowing.
Devi's path—born without arms due to a rare condition, trained under coach Deepa Malik—highlights grit over gadgets. Her custom foot-trigger bow, crafted in a Delhi lab, costs Rs 50,000 but replicates elite accuracy. Friday's event unveiled a Rs 100 crore fund for para-youth, aiming to triple medal hauls by LA 2028. "Sheetal isn't just an athlete; she's a revolution," gushed Paralympic chief Jayant Mhaske.
Social waves swelled: #SheetalShoots trended with 500,000 Indian tweets, blending inspiration with calls for ramped accessibility. In Mumbai schools, PE classes swapped cricket for archery trials, while corporates pledged Rs 20 crore in gear. Devi, mobbed by kids post-ceremony, whispered tips: "Aim with your heart."
Hurdles persist—rural para-infra lags, with only 20% villages equipped—but Devi's dash signals shift. As she returned home Saturday, a hero's welcome awaited: Garlands, drummers, and dreams deferred no more. From podium to poster child, Sheetal's arrow points to inclusive tomorrows.
