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Journalism of Courage
Anand Mahindra shares inspiring story of Odisha’s Payal Nag, four-limb amputee who’s just beaten her idol
Born to a migrant labourer in Odisha’s Balangir district, Payal Nag was just eight years old when her life changed drastically.
Payal Nag lost all four limbs in an electrocution accident (Image source: @anandmahindra/X)
Industrialist Anand Mahindra dedicated his #MondayMotivation post to young para archer Payal Nag, who made history by winning gold at the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok. Sharing a note on X, Mahindra highlighted Payal’s journey from a life of hardship to becoming a global name in para archery.
Born to a migrant labourer in Odisha’s Balangir district, Nag was just eight years old when her life changed drastically. An electrocution accident led to the loss of all four limbs.
Reflecting on her journey, Mahindra wrote, “Payal Nag. Daughter of a daily-wage mason from Odisha. Electrocuted at the age of eight. Lost all four limbs. And then, found a bow.”
“Spotted through her paintings by coach Kuldeep Vedwan, the same man who shaped world champion Sheetal Devi. Defeated her idol Sheetal Devi at the World Para Archery Series Final in Bangkok, April 2026,” he added.
Mahindra also wrote that whenever he felt low, he turned to stories like Payal’s and Sheetal’s for perspective. “These champions are not just my #MondayMotivation. They will be a source of motivation Every. Single. Day,” he added.
See the post here:
Payal Nag.
Daughter of a daily-wage mason from Odisha.
Electrocuted at the age of eight. Lost all four limbs.And then, found a bow.
Spotted through her paintings by coach Kuldeep Vedwan, the same man who shaped world champion Sheetal Devi.
Defeated her idol Sheetal Devi at… pic.twitter.com/KdWGcuAJ9X
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 6, 2026
The post quickly gained traction, drawing a wave of reactions as several X users hailed Nag’s inspiring journey. “These two young ladies bring so much inspiration and grit to the world! More power to them,” one of them wrote.
“One thing about Odisha, here the girls are truly something when it comes to sports. They actually want to do well there. In hockey toh, they’re mad about it. Now going ahead in cricket, other sports too. Such achievement of this girl is making me so delighted & proud,” another user commented.
“Incredible and deeply inspiring. Payal Nag’s courage, resilience and determination show that human spirit can rise beyond any limitation. Truly remarkable,” a third user reacted.
As reported by PTI, a major turning point for Nag came in 2023 when Kuldeep Vedwan discovered her through social media. He introduced Nag to para archery and helped her adapt to the sport.
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