09 May,2026 07:37 AM IST | Mumbai | Ashwin Ferro
Rutvi with her mother Suvarna. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Teenaged para archer Rutvi Lolge, 15, who has battled Spina Bifida - a congenital condition of the spinal cord that causes paralysis of the lower limbs - to win medals in archery competitions alongside able-bodied athletes, has hit the bullseye in academics too.
Rutvi, a Std X student of St Anne's High School, Orlem, Malad, scored an impressive 85 per cent in the State Board exams, the results of which were revealed on Friday.
Wheelchair-bound archer Rutvi Lolge at St Anne's High School ground, Orlem, Malad West, on November 16, 2025. FILE PIC/NIMESH DAVE
"I feel very satisfied that my hard work has been rewarded, both in archery as well as now in my academics. The SSC Board exams are a foundation for any student. My target was a distinction, and I'm happy to have achieved it," Rutvi told mid-day on Friday.
This newspaper had first highlighted the teenager's story in November last year, when she excelled at inter-school, district, and state-level archery competitions with a wooden bow and needed funds to purchase a more sophisticated Advance Compound Bow (costing Rs 4-5 lakh). In December, OGQ, a not-for-profit company for the promotion of sports and athletes, stepped in with a long-term sponsorship deal for Rutvi, following which she participated in the 7th NTPC Para Archery Championship in Patiala in February.
Rutvi's mother, Suvarna, whose husband abandoned the family many years ago due to the girl's rising medical expenses, revealed that, as a freelance nurse earning R15,000 per month, she could not afford to send Rutvi for tuition classes. "Nor could I teach her myself, as I work late hours, so she has done all her studies on her own. She would wake up at 4 am daily to study. She would then go to school, and on returning home in the evening, again sit with her studies. She used her mobile phone and Google as reference to do all her school work," Suvarna told mid-day.
Rutvi is crystal clear about her future plan. "Initially, I wanted to pursue Science, but with my professional archery dream now taking shape, Science will be too hectic. I'm not keen on Commerce, so I plan to take up Arts and specialise in psychology. It will also help me in my archery, which is a very mental sport," said Rutvi, who trains five days a week at the Goregaon Sports Complex in pursuit of her ultimate dream - a medal for India.
