J&K’s rising star, 16-year-old para-archer Sheetal Devi, has been named among the 26 recipients of the prestigious Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in sports in 2023. This is a significant achievement for the young athlete and a proud moment for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards on Wednesday, with the awardees set to receive their medals from the President of India at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9, 2024.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha took to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to express his congratulations, calling it a “proud moment for J&K” and applauding Sheetal’s remarkable achievements. He wished her continued success and glory in her future endeavors.
Sheetal’s journey to this recognition has been remarkable. Just last month, she became the first Indian to win the “Best Youth Athlete of the Year” award at the Asian Paralympic Committee’s ceremony in Riyadh. This was followed by her hat-trick of medals at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games in October 2022. She claimed gold in the women’s individual compound open event and mixed team compound event, along with a silver in the women’s doubles compound event. This performance also made her the first Indian female to win two gold medals at the Asian Para Games.
Her achievements have garnered widespread appreciation, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LG Sinha. She also contributed to the Indian squad’s best-ever performance at the Para Asian Archery Championships in Bangkok earlier this year. Most recently, she added another gold medal to her collection at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games in the open category of compound section.
The Arjuna Award recognizes exceptional performance over the previous four years, along with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline. Sheetal’s dedication, talent, and unwavering spirit have undoubtedly made her a deserving recipient of this prestigious honor.
