In a heart-warming ceremony filled with pride and patriotism on December 8, 2025, the Indian Army felicitated 20-year-old visually impaired cricketer Ms. Anekha Devi at the Army camp in Machhedi on her return from the inaugural Women’s T20 Blind Cricket World Cup 2025 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event, held in her home region of Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir, was attended by her parents, officials from the police and CRPF, school children and local residents, who gathered to celebrate the glory she has brought to the nation and to her native hills of Pir Panjal.
Hailing from the remote village of Machhedi (Bajohi) in this backward mountainous belt, Anekha, the daughter of a daily-wage worker and born with a B2-level visual impairment, has emerged as the first woman from her area to shine on the world stage. Her journey from a small village ground to an international stadium began with judo, before she shifted to cricket under the guidance of her uncle and moved to Delhi because there was no women’s blind cricket structure in Jammu & Kashmir.Selected in 2025 for the Indian team in the first-ever Women’s T20 Blind Cricket World Cup, she played a key role in India’s historic, unbeaten title run, including a match-winning 64 off 34 balls against Pakistan that earned her the Player of the Match award.
The Army honoured her with mementoes and gifts, hailing her as a symbol of courage, resilience and national pride, while children from the Pir Panjal belt watched her as proof that even from a remote, underdeveloped area, one can rise to become a world champion.
Alongside her sporting achievements, Anekha is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree at Delhi University while playing for the Delhi Blind Women’s Cricket Team, showing that academics and international sport can go hand in hand. Her story sends a powerful message to the youth of Pir Panjal and beyond: no dream is too big, no barrier too strong, when there is family support, hard work and unwavering self-belief.
