BHUBANESWAR: Payal Nag has added another feather to the cap of India’s fabled para-archers. While Sheetal Devi’s story is a source of inspiration, the tale of Payal, daughter of migrant labourers Bijay Nag and Janata Nag from Bolangir district in Odisha, would evoke goosebumps.
A play day in 2015 turned into a life-threatening accident in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, when eight-year-old Payal stepped on a live wire. This prompted the doctors to amputate both her hands and legs. On returning to Bolangir, the district administration supported her by providing financial assistance through Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) every year.
Years later, she would go on to be a champion para-archer. On Saturday at the World Archery Para series in Bangkok, she edged past her para-archery idol Sheetal for gold in the women’s compound final 139-136. This is not the first time Payal has got the better of Sheetal. In January 2025, Payal won gold ahead of Sheetal at the 6th National Para Archery Championship in Jaipur. She followed it up with a silver at the Khelo India Para Games and another at the Nationals in Patiala earlier this year — both times losing to Sheetal.
But her foray into archery was not the easiest. It began when a social media post caught the eyes of Kuldeep Vedwan, a coach at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) Archery Academy in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir — the same place where Sheetal trained. “In 2023, I saw Payal (on social media) for the first time and contacted the person who posted about her. He said Payal was staying in an orphanage in Bolangir district of Odisha,” Vedwan told this daily. “I personally visited the place and requested them to take her along with me to the academy. But they denied,” he said.
Chanchal Rana, who was the district collector then, had recalled how Payal's friends in the orphanage showed her the videos of Sheetal for about a week after which she expressed her desire to train at the academy in Jammu and Kashmir, recalls Rana. That way, Vedwan, after writing to Rana, was able to take Payal to his academy.
One of the first things Vedwan did was developing and installing a special equipment — approved by the World Para Archery Federation — onto her. Then Payal, inspired by Sheetal and a blind archer, dreamt of being on top of the world. “After coming across a blind archer, she thought nothing is impossible,” the coach added. And she just showed just that. Before bettering Sheetal for gold, Payal teamed up with her to win India gold against Kazakhstan in the compound women’s team event. “Payal is the only archer in the world who is a quadruple amputee. She is an example for all. Her victory stands as a testament to her relentless hard work, dedication and determination,” Vedwan added.
Payal’s sister, Barsha has stood by her like a rock. In the academy in Katra, Barsha helped her on and off the field. “Barsa is also a budding archer. She will flourish in the sport one day,” the coach added.