As the first notes of the national anthem echoed through the Bangkok Archery Centre on Saturday, the scoreboard told the story of a sporting upset: Payal Nag 139, Sheetal Devi 136. Yet the image that will endure in the annals of Indian sport was not the scoreline, but the sight of two young women standing side by side on the podium at World Archery Para Series.
There was Payal Nag, the 18-year-old prodigy from Odisha, the gold medal draped around her neck. Beside her stood the world’s most celebrated para-archer, Sheetal Devi.
Payal, a quadruple amputee who navigates life in a wheelchair, was unable to turn towards the tricolour for the national anthem. Before officials could intervene, Sheetal – who had just seen her international title slip away – leaned down. Using her legs with the same poise with which she draws a bow, she gently hooked the footrest of Payal’s wheelchair and pivoted it, so the teenager could face the flag.
It was a moment of heartwarming sportsmanship: the champion ensuring her successor stood in the right light.
Payal Nag’s journey to the top of the podium at the World Archery Para Series is a story of resilience that borders on the extraordinary. Born to a daily-wage mason in Odisha’s Balangir district, her life changed irrevocably at the age of eight. A tragic electrocution accident at a brick kiln led to the loss of all four limbs.
For years, the world saw only her limitations. Payal, however, saw colour. She began sketching and painting using her mouth-an ability that would eventually become the bridge to an unexpected destiny. A viral video of her artwork caught the attention of coach Kuldeep Vedwan, one of the most influential figures in Indian para-sport.
THE VEDWAN SYSTEM
Kuldeep Vedwan, along with his wife Abhilasha Chaudhary, works out of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra. He is also the coach who discovered Sheetal Devi, the world’s first female armless archer, and developed the unique feet-and-mouth technique that captivated audiences at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
When Vedwan saw Payal, he recognised the same rare combination of core strength and mental resolve. He introduced her to Sheetal’s journey, planting a seed of possibility.
Unlike Sheetal, who was born with phocomelia, Payal had to rebuild her life after losing her limbs. Under Vedwan and Abhilasha’s guidance, she developed a customised shooting system. While Sheetal anchors the bow with her legs, Payal relies on a specialised prosthetic support and a shoulder-trigger mechanism operated with her mouth. The margin for error is microscopic; the discipline required is immense.
PAYAL OUTSHINES HER IDOL
The final in Bangkok unfolded as a domestic rivalry on an international stage. Sheetal Devi, the reigning world number one and a Paralympic bronze medallist, entered as the clear favourite. She began strongly, but the 18-year-old refused to be overawed.
The contest remained finely balanced until the third end, when Payal’s composure proved decisive. Shooting with remarkable calm for someone so early in her career, she edged ahead. By the final arrow, a new star had announced herself.
This was not an isolated triumph. Payal had previously defeated Sheetal at the Para Nationals in Jaipur in 2025. But doing so on her senior international debut, under the spotlight in Bangkok, carried the weight of a generational shift.
Amid the high-octane spectacle of the IPL, the scenes in Bangkok offered a different kind of sporting drama. In para-sport, the opponent is often a reflection of one’s own journey.
As India finished atop the standings with seven gold medals, the enduring image remained that moment on the podium. Sheetal Devi, a global icon with every reason to guard her dominance, instead chose grace. By helping Payal face the flag, she did more than adjust a wheelchair-she signalled the arrival of the future.
Months ago, Payal had spoken of the inspiration she drew from Sheetal. In Bangkok, that inspiration came full circle. The girl who once painted with her mouth now stands at the summit of world archery, holding the moment entirely her own.
– Ends
