Payal Nag is a name that will forever remind us of determination and courage. She recently made history as the world’s first archer without limbs to win gold at the World Para Archery Series in Bangkok. She stumped her own idol, world no. 1 Sheetal Devi, who is Asia’s first female archer without arms.
Who is Payal Nag?
Payal Nag is an 18-year-old quadruple amputee archer from Odisha. She is the world’s first limbless archer to create history by winning gold at the World Archery Para Series 2026 in Bangkok on her senior international debut. She is recognised as the world’s first quadruple-amputee para-archer to compete using a prosthetic arm and shoulder/mouth release.
Payal was born in Jamunabahal, Odisha, in the home of a migrant labourer. Payal was only 8 years old when she met with a high-voltage electrocution accident. Doctors had to amputate all four limbs of her. The family was not financially stable to bear all her expenses, so they decided to shift her to a government childcare home.
Payal first gained the attention of the collector of Balangir when she was spotted painting with a brush in her mouth; an art teacher was arranged for her. Later, in 2023, when her art was posted on X, she grabbed the attention of her now-coach, Kuldeep Vedwan.
It was not easy to bring her out from the orphanage, but the coach didn’t lose hope because he had trained Sheetal Devi previously and believed Payal would also make history if trained well.
Kuldeep Vedwan runs Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Archery Academy in Katra. He managed to get permission from the Zilla collector to bring Payal there. She practised regularly without any complaints. Initially, the World Archery did not approve the equipment, so Vedwan customised a new device which was connected to her right prosthetic leg that was finally approved.
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Her achievements
According to The Indian Express, Payal made her debut in January 2025 and won two gold medals, defeating Sheetal Devi in the 6th National Para Archery Championship in Jaipur. Followed by that, in March 2025, in New Delhi, she secured a silver medal in the 2nd Khelo India Para Games.
Payal did not stop there. In early 2026, she won silver and bronze medals in the 7th National Para Archery Championship in Patiala. What brought her to the limelight was the evening of 4th April 2026, World Archery Para Series in Bangkok, where she defeated Sheetal Devi and won Gold in her first senior international tournament.
According to The Times of India, Payal expressed, “My parents are incredibly happy right now. They called me to come back home to Odisha, but I have decided not to go just yet. That’s because I want to win another international medal. Since I have specific training requirements to meet, I am staying back in Jammu for now. I just want to go out there and win again.”
