Born Without Arms And A Leg, Chhattisgarh Girl Sheetla Vishwakarma Tops School, Dreams Of Becoming An IAS Officer
Sheetla Vishwakarma scored over 92% in Class 10 and is now pursuing science with the dream of becoming an IAS officer, reports Akhtar Ali.
Published : August 5, 2026 at 2:04 PM IST
Surajpur (Chhattisgarh): “Papa, please get me admitted to school. I want to study.” For most parents, this sentence would shake the heart. But Hiralal Vishwakarma felt his daughter Sheetla's request was not just a request but a daunting and an extraordinary demand because, she was beyond the ordinary, born without both arms and with only one leg.
Today, Sheetla has become an inspiration in Chhattisgarh’s Surajpur district after scoring more than 92 per cent in the Class 10 board examination and securing a place among the district’s top performers. She is now studying Biology in Class 11 with a clear goal to become an IAS officer.
Sheetla was one among the four children in the Vishwakarma family, belonging to Kalyanpur village in Ramanujnagar block of Surajpur district. While her siblings are physically able, Sheetla was born with a severe congenital disability.
Her parents admit they were worried about her future from the day she was born. As she grew older, everyday activities became increasingly challenging. But giving strength to herself and her parents, she never allowed those difficulties to define her life. With time Sheetla overcame them and was successful in proving her mettle.
Sheetla’s parents decided early that their daughter would receive the same love, care and opportunities as her siblings. "We knew about her disability at birth but never lost hope. When Sheetla expressed her desire to study, I patiently taught her to hold a pencil with her foot. Within six months, she had learnt to read and write," said Hiralal.
Recalling those days, Hiralal became emotional. “Sheetla wants to become the district collector, and I am sure she will achieve a great position in life. We all support her education. Her mother also dreams of seeing her become an officer,” he said.
Devoting his life to making his daughter’s struggles easier, Hiralal said, “Whether she becomes an officer or a government school teacher, I will be proud. It will be an inspiration for the entire village.”
Every morning, Sheetla’s mother helps her get ready and prepares her for school. She accompanies her in a wheelchair until halfway through the 2.5-km journey. From there, Sheetla’s classmates take over, pushing her wheelchair the rest of the way to school.
A student of Government High School in Devnagar, Sheetla writes, draws, dances and even accesses study material on her mobile phone using her single foot. Her disability has never interrupted her education. She scored 557 out of 600 marks (over 92%) in the Class 10 board examination, topped her school and earned a place in the district’s top ten merit list.
Her mother said they amke sure Sheetla’s education does not have any issues. “From getting her ready in the morning to feeding her, I do everything. Sheetla loves studying. We want her to become an IAS officer one day.”
Sheetla says she has now become used to the challenges and longer sees those as obstacles. “When I learnt to write, I told my father, ‘Papa, please get me admitted to school.’ I love studying and never feel that my disability holds me back. I want to tell other children with disabilities that we cannot change the way God has created us, but with determination, everything is possible,” she said.
She makes sure she does not miss school even for a day. "I wish to become a civil servant and work to improve education and healthcare in society," said Sheetla.
Surajpur Collector Reena Jameel described Sheetla as a source of inspiration not only for the district but for the entire state. “The district administration will assess her needs and ensure she receives every government scheme and assistance she is entitled to. Our effort will be to ensure that she never has to discontinue her studies because of physical or financial difficulties.”
District Mission Coordinator of Samagra Shiksha Mission, Manoj Sahu, said Sheetla’s enthusiasm is remarkable. “Despite challenges, Sheetla excels not only in academics but also in other activities. The administration is extending every possible support to ensure her education continues without interruption.”
For many, disability becomes a reason to stop dreaming. For Sheetla Vishwakarma, it became the only reason to excel and dream big. She chose to focus on her ability rather than disability. "It took me time but my determination became my strength and my parents my biggest support," she said while rushing for class.
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