Sheetal Devi is in uncharted territory. She has just realised that she has never asked her mother about her childhood and the dreams tucked within it. "It's strange to think that Mumma was once just a little girl like me," says the 17-year-old who became India's youngest Paralympic medallist when she bagged a bronze in the mixed compound archery team event at the Paralympic Games in Paris this year. "I've never thought about the fact that she too was a daughter to a mother who may have done her hair like Mumma often does for me." A click of the tongue. A shake of the head. Pursed lips. And a fleeting descent into an indiscernible stream-of-consciousness whisper-the markers of self-admonishment are obvious over Zoom. But as Sheetal continues to dwell on this oversight, her mother, Shakti, places a tender arm around the teen to bail her out of her guilt. "As far as dreams went, all I wanted to do was go to school," the 47-year-old murmurs in Kishtwari, a language spoken in their hometown of Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir. "I never ended up seeing the inside of one." Back then, there wasn't much Shakti could do about dreams deferred or goals unrealised. Less so, as the second youngest of four girls born in a rural family with limited means. "It feels like I am vicariously living my dreams through Sheetal, watching her go to: school, compete and excel at tournaments all around the world," she smiles, her eyes shining with pride.
For anyone who frequented the Paralympic Village, home to the athletes and delegations during the Games, the sight of Sheetal and Shakti striding together purposefully was a familiar one.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
