When Sheetal Devi, India’s first armless archer and only the second in the world after USA’s Matt Stutzman, stunned the world with her remarkable performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games before following it with a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics, it was a moment of history. In Hangzhou, the Asiad Daily dedicated an entire front page to an image of Sheetal releasing her arrow—a powerful symbol of resilience.
Fast forward to January 2025, at the Para Archery National Championship, and another extraordinary archer, Payal Nag, the world’s first quadruple amputee archer from Bolangir, Odisha, scripted history. Competing in the open category, she defeated her idol, Sheetal, to claim the gold medal. It was a landmark achievement, not just for Indian para-archery but for sports as a whole.
On the final day of the RevSportz Trailblazers 3.0 Conclave in Kolkata, March 8, the audience was left spellbound as Payal showcased her archery skills live on stage. Her session, alongside her coach Kuldeep Vedwan, received thunderous applause as they shared their remarkable journey.
As the moderator, it was an experience beyond words—both challenging and deeply moving. The first question to Payal was about her journey and the experience of surpassing her idol at the nationals. She took a moment, carefully gathering her thoughts. When she finally spoke, her words sent chills down the spines of everyone present.
“Jai Mata Di, Jai Jagannath,” she began. “When I first came to our academy, Mata Rani Shrine, I saw able-bodied archers, and here I was without arms or legs. I thought to myself—how would I ever manage to do archery?”
She continued, “Sir (Kuldeep Vedwan) told me that he had brought me here and would make me capable of archery. And that’s how my journey began.”
Vedwan, who also coaches Sheetal, is renowned for his innovative approach in para-archery. Payal expressed her deep gratitude, saying, “The device that I use to shoot the arrow was designed by Sir himself. He created it and trained me to master it.”
Reflecting on her victory, she admitted, “It was my first nationals, and when I realised I had to face Sheetal didi in the final, I thought I had no chance. But with my coach’s blessings, I made it to the gold medal podium. I couldn’t believe I had defeated an Olympic medallist.”
The audience erupted in applause, celebrating a moment of pure inspiration and pride.
“I want to win both the Asian Games and an Olympic medal for my country,” Payal declared, her voice filled with determination. “That’s my dream.”
But the audience was in for an even bigger surprise. As the stage was being rearranged and an archery target set at one end, not many had anticipated what was coming next. Then it happened—Payal Nag was about to demonstrate two live shots.
For the first time in three days at ITC Sonar’s Pala Hall, the room fell into pin-drop silence. Every phone was recording, capturing a historic moment. With Vedwan assisting, the 17-year-old positioned herself. She lifted her bow, attached to a prosthetic, aimed using a small device on her shoulder, and released. A Nine!
Anticipation grew for the second shot. The same process, only this time with heightened focus. She didn’t disappoint—an inner-10! The hall exploded with cheers and applause.
The following session, Sourav on Sourav, featured Sourav Ganguly in conversation with Boria Majumdar. But before that, Ganguly was called on stage to felicitate Payal. The former India captain had nothing but admiration for the young archer.
“Stories like this make you believe that nothing is impossible,” remarked Ganguly. “She is the perfect example. In sports, in life, you lose more than you win. There are more tough days than good ones. But inspirations like Payal remind us to keep pushing forward, no matter the odds. I wish her all the success in life.”
Yet, one of the most defining moments of the day had occurred just before this. During the felicitation of the panel just before Payal’s, Sagar Daryani, CEO of Wow! Momo—one of RevSportz’s key supporters—stepped forward with an unexpected announcement.
“I don’t know if Payal already has a sponsor,” he said. “But we at Wow! Momo would like to take this opportunity to sponsor her if she agrees, and be a part of her journey to the highest podium.”
It is moments like these that define the Trailblazers Conclave—not just as an event, but as a catalyst for change, inspiration, and hope. Payal Nag’s story is not just about breaking barriers; it is about rewriting the very definition of what is possible.