From the Ashes, He Rises Tika Ram Ghalley Set to Make Bhutan’s Paralympic Debut in Archery

From the Ashes, He Rises
Tika Ram Ghalley Set to Make Bhutan’s Paralympic Debut in Archery

There are stories that break you.

And then there are stories that rebuild you — piece by piece, scar by scar — until what stands before the world is not just a survivor, but a symbol.

This is the story of Tika Ram Ghalley, a young man from Samtenling, Sarpang, who went from working night shifts in a coal factory to becoming Bhutan’s second para-archer to represent the nation in an international tournament.

It’s the kind of story that gives you goosebumps. And it’s time every Bhutanese know his name.

It was National Day, and 15-year-old Tika had spent the afternoon playing football with friends. He felt something strange in his foot that day — not pain, just an odd feeling. A sign, perhaps.

That evening, he reported for his night shift at a coal-crushing factory in Pasakha. Earning a daily wage of Nu. 210, his job was to help crush large coal pieces into powder.

Then, in a flash, tragedy struck.

“I slipped… and before I knew it, my right leg was inside the machine. The pain was unimaginable. I screamed, but the sound of the machines was louder. No one saw me.”

A friend named Nima noticed something was wrong and rushed over. Chaos erupted. Other workers gathered. The machine had to be dismantled to free him.

He was rushed to Phuentsholing Referral Hospital, then to Siliguri, India.

When he regained consciousness, the news hit him like a sledgehammer:

“Your leg has been amputated.”

Tika was just a teenager — full of dreams, full of energy. And now, he had one leg and a broken spirit.

“I couldn’t accept it. I thought my life was over. I even had suicidal thoughts.”

But fate wasn’t done with him yet.

Doctors, nurses, and health workers showed him incredible care. His family — though silent and struggling — stood by him. Slowly, he began to recover — not just physically, but emotionally.

He returned to Pasakha, unsure of what lay ahead. For the next three years, he searched for meaning.

In 2018, he resumed school, thanks to his relatives. But the real spark came when he heard about his schoolmate, Sonam Dema, who was part of the national archery team. Then, friends like Tashi Dhendup and Karma Chimi encouraged him to explore something in sports.

In 2021, Tika began to learn about the Paralympic movement. He tried his luck at para-shooting — but was told he didn’t qualify for the sport. It was another blow.

But just as he was about to give up, Coach Park gave him a chance to try para-archery.

“The first time I held the bow… I felt something light up inside me. Like this was what I had been waiting for.”

He trained with passion. But passion alone couldn’t pay for transport. Travelling from Sarpang to Thimphu by bus and taxi cost him more than he had. Month after month, the price increased.

Eventually, he had to let go.

“Dropping out hurt more than the accident. I had found purpose again… and then I had to give it up.”

Life came full circle when, in December 2023, Coach Karma Tshering called him.

“Do you want to come back to para-archery?”

Tika hesitated. His family was still struggling. His father wasn’t sure if there was a future in this. But his mother and sister stood firm and said, “Go. Try one more time.”

He did. And on January 1, 2024, Tika was officially registered as a para-archer. He was provided accommodation by the Bhutan Archery Federation. The Bhutan Paralympic Committee welcomed him back.

This time, he wouldn’t let go.

“From 9 AM to 5 PM, I train every day. I may have one leg, but I’ve found my footing in life again.”

Now, Tika is preparing to compete internationally under the W1 classification — for athletes who compete while standing despite severe impairments at 2025 Beijing Para-Archery Championship.

And with that, Bhutan enters the world of international para-archery for the first time in history.

This is not just his moment.

This is our moment, Bhutan.

Today, Tika isn’t just an athlete. He’s a voice for the voiceless, a light for those in the dark.

Children from nearby villages come to watch him train. Some of them are differently abled. They look at Tika, and they don’t see an amputee — they see hope.

“I want to tell every person with a disability: You are not broken. You are becoming. You can rise again.”

His arrows don’t just hit targets. They shatter stigma.

His journey isn’t just his own — it belongs to every Bhutanese who’s been knocked down but dared to rise.

He’s not asking for fame. He’s asking for belief.

Tika stands tall and still and he bows in humility to the coaches, friends, and family who never gave up on him.

“I may have lost my leg, but I found my purpose. And I found my people.”

This is a call to every Bhutanese — from the mountains of Haa to the plains of Sarpang.
Let’s cheer for Tika. Let’s show the world that Bhutan doesn’t just celebrate tradition — we celebrate transformation.

Let’s put our hearts behind the young man who turned tragedy into triumph.
The boy who fell into a machine — and came out a legend.

The archer who shoots not just for medals… but for meaning.

#WeStandWithTika #BhutanRising #ParaArcher #YouCanRiseAgain #BhutanProud