Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 28 : Para-archers Rakesh Kumar, Sheetal Devi and Sarita were groomed at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Sports Complex here have once again created history and made the country and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) proud by winning five medals at Asian Para Games in Hangzhou in different categories of Archery events, according to a press release from Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
Rakesh and Sheetal Devi put up a good fight in the high-intensity encounter against home favourite China and won the gold medal in the compound mixed team.
Besides, Rakesh Kumar secured a brilliant silver medal in the Men's Individual Compound Archery event in a closely fought contest against Iran and also alongwith Suraj Singh clinched silver medal in the Men's Doubles Compound Open event.
The phenomenal Shrine Para archer, Sheetal Devi delivered a scintillating performance by clinching the coveted gold medal in the Women's Individual Compound Open event defeating Singapore in a nail-biting competition.
Besides, Sheetal along with Sarita had won the silver medal in the women's Doubles Compound archery event. Pertinent to mention that it is a hat-trick of medals for Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar in the Para Asian Games.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the Para archers Rakesh Kumar, Sheetal Devi and Sarita on winning the medals at the Asian Para Games and making the country proud by posting on X.
"It is a Glorious Gold for our Para Archery Mixed Team. Congrats to Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar for their extraordinary performance. This glory is a testament to their precision, dedication and exceptional skills," PM Modi wrote on X.
"Congratulations to our Para Archers, Sheetal Devi and Sarita, for securing a splendid Silver Medal in the Women's Doubles Compound Event. India celebrates this well-deserved success," PM Modi congratulated archers on X.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board congratulated all the sports persons for their performance in the Para Asian Games and for making the Board & JK-UT proud by winning 05 medal out of a total of 07 medals in Archery for Team India and also posted on X.
"A momentous achievement! Congratulations to Sheetal Devi for her spectacular Gold Medal victory in the archery Women's Individual Compound Open event," Manoj Sinha wrote.
Ashok Bhan, Member, of the Shrine Board and Chairman of the Governing Council of Shrine Board's Sports Complex also extended his congratulations to all the Para archers representing the country in the Para Asian Games and their excellent performance in the events.
Anshul Garg, CEO of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board while congratulating all the Para archers added that the Shrine Board's support extended towards sports is being appreciated and it is a matter of pride that players nurtured at SMVD Sports Complex is putting Jammu & Kashmir UT on the world map. He exuded confidence that given the excellent facilities, expert coaching, hard work and dedication, the sportspersons being trained at the Shrine Board's Sports Complex will be creating new records in the days to come.
He said that the Shrine Board under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor is committed to encouraging the youth and providing them with a platform to showcase their talents, as the Sports Complex is being developed as a centre of excellence and impressed upon the sportspersons to take optimum benefit from the state-of-the-art equipments and other facilities made available at the Sports Complex.
Noteworthy that SMVD Sports Complex is nurturing budding Sportspersons in Archery, Shooting and Athletics through grant of monthly scholarships of more than rupees one lakh as per Sports-Core Policy with an aim to create an ecosystem and promote excellence in SMVDSB Sports Complex.
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