Sheetal Devi becomes Para World Archery champion at 18
Gwangju (South Korea) (PTI): Eighteen-year-old Indian armless archer Sheetal Devi scripted history by defeating Turkiye's world No.1 Oznur Cure Girdi 146-143 to bag the women’s compound individual category gold at the Para World Archery Championship here on Saturday.
Sheetal, the only armless archer in the competition, shoots using her feet and chin, and this was her third medal of the championships.
She had earlier won a mixed team bronze in the compound event with Toman Kumar, defeating Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen 152-149.
In the compound women’s open team event, Sheetal and Sarita settled for silver after losing to Turkey in the final.
The individual final was a tense battle but Sheetal stayed consistent and shot with composure. The first end was tied at 29-all, but Sheetal fired three 10s in the second end to take an early lead, winning it 30-27.
The third end was also tied at 29-all. Sheetal’s only slight lapse came in the fourth end, where she scored 28 as Girdi took it by one point, yet Sheetal still held a two-point lead at 116-114.
She then sealed her maiden gold with a flawless final end, hitting three perfect arrows for 30.
Earlier in the semifinals, the Jammu and Kashmir archer produced a commanding 145-140 victory over Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham to reach the final.
The title clash was a repeat of the 2023 Pilsen World Championships, where Girdi had narrowly beaten Sheetal 140-138. This time, Sheetal turned the tables to avenge her defeat two years ago.
In the open team final, Sheetal and Sarita started strongly but only to lose by 148-152 to settle for silver.
The Indian duo began strongly, edging out Turkish pair Oznur Cure Girdi and Bursa Fatma Un 38-37 in the opening end.
The Indians produced three 10s from their first four arrows, while Turkey managed just one 10.
However, the Turkish archers bounced back in the second end with three 10s and a nine to outscore India by a point and level the contest at 76-all.
The third end saw the momentum shift further as nerves appeared to affect the Indian duo.
They managed just one 10, along with two 9s and an 8, to total 36.
The Turkish duo was more consistent, shooting 37 with one 10 and three 9s, to seize a one-point overall lead.
Girdi and Un were nearly flawless in the final end, hitting 39 out of a possible 40.
In contrast, the Indians faltered with a 36, including one arrow landing in the 7-ring, as Turkey sealed the gold medal with a four point margin.
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Arnab Goswami’s Homecoming? Anchor tears into Modi Government over aviation chaos
Says, govt not going to be happy with us saying this
New Delhi: In a striking turn that surprised even his regular viewers, Arnab Goswami spent the evening of December 4 taking direct aim at the central government over the ongoing crisis in the domestic aviation sector. The debate, aired on Republic, focused entirely on the severe disruption caused by IndiGo flight cancellations and the state of air travel in the country. The tone was sharp, emotional, and openly critical, raising the larger question of whether this marks a homecoming of sorts for the anchor long accused by critics of being soft on the government.
Goswami began the show by saying the central government had “completely let down” air passengers. He pointed to chaotic visuals from airports in Pune, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, describing passengers packed into crowded spaces, long queues, and travellers lying on the floor with little access to basic facilities. He said anyone travelling with children or elderly parents would understand the distress such situations cause.
According to him, the government often claims to have improved the aviation sector, but the day-to-day experience of passengers tells a different story. He argued that whatever help the government may have extended has benefited individuals and individual companies, not the sector as a whole.
Goswami highlighted data from the last three days, saying IndiGo had canceled 1,232 flights in November. He broke down the reasons for the cancellations: 755 linked to crew and FDTL constraints, 258 due to airspace and airport restrictions, 92 because of failures in air traffic control systems, 127 for other reasons.
He said passengers in India are often “taken for granted” and that only in this country can such large-scale cancellations take place without consequences.
Throughout the debate, Goswami repeatedly returned to the theme of duopoly. He said Air India and IndiGo together control 91.5 percent of the aviation market, leaving only a small share for others like Akasa and SpiceJet. This, he said, gives the two big players the power to decide prices and escape accountability.
“They can set the prices. They can torture passengers. They can be not answerable for air crashes.” He added.
Goswami also questioned why such a structure is allowed to exist if the government claims it opposes monopolies. He asked whether the government has made Air India accountable after the recent air crash, and said he did not believe so.
“We are told that the Modi government does not like monopolies. First of all, I don't agree with that. There are too many monopolies happening.” He said.
The anchor accused Air India of operating aircraft that were not airworthy and said no serious action followed. According to him, any other minister in charge of civil aviation would have been removed after such incidents, but nothing happened.
“He is not answerable. And why is the central government not bothered about it? Because he comes from the TDP, an alliance party. So let him do,” he said.
He added that Air India continues to seek government support, including compensation for losses after the Sindhur episode. Goswami questioned why public money should be used to support the airline, drawing a comparison with the earlier controversy involving Vijay Mallya seeking help from the Manmohan Singh government a move that was labelled as scam.
Goswami said passengers are suffering because of delayed flights, sudden cancellations, and lack of compensation. He criticised the DGCA, saying it was not enforcing safety and operational norms. He also questioned why the Prime Minister’s Office had not intervened.
He noted that Republic had carried multiple exposés on these issues and claimed that Air India chooses to give interviews and advertisements only to other channels.
He also called for Parliament to debate the aviation mess and examine whether monopolies or duopolies should be allowed in a nation of India’s size.
“I'm sure the government's not going to be happy with us saying this, but someone's got to speak up for the people of this country.” He added.
Known by his critics as the “Godi Media Chief”, Goswami’s direct attack on the Modi government over civil aviation raised eyebrows across media circles.
Whether this is a one-off outburst or a sign of a new editorial direction is something viewers will be watching closely.
#AviationCollapse | India’s aviation sector is in turmoil as IndiGo’s mass cancellations and Air India’s alleged safety lapses leave passengers stranded. The disruption raises serious questions about airline management, regulatory oversight, and who is ultimately responsible for… pic.twitter.com/Dqt6pcoW8w
— Republic (@republic) December 4, 2025
