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India’s first-ever individual gold medallist at the Olympic Games, former Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra on Saturday, August 10 was awarded with the highest honour of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Order. The award, which aims to recognise contributions of an athlete during his career as well as beyond, honoured Bindra for his significant contributions to Olympic Movement both during his athletic career and beyond.
The IOC, during the 142nd session, acknowledged Bindra’s dedication towards Olympic ideals. While he became the first Indian to win individual Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the men’s 10m air rifle, he is also the first Indian to win a World Championship gold in air rifle shooting . Apart from this, he has also won over 150 individual medals, often being reckoned as one of India’s finest sports icons. His achievements led him to be honoured with the Blue Cross in 2018, the highest honour by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
Apart from his on the field heroics, he also contributed significantly in sports governance. He also founded the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT), a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting grassroots athletes in India. While his laurels are innumerable, he also reflectedon this honour by the IOC.
“This recognition is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the spirit of perseverance and dedication that sports instill in us all. I am deeply honoured to be recognised by the IOC, and I dedicate this to all the athletes and sports enthusiasts who strive to uphold the Olympic ideals.
All our athletes have performed at high level: Abhinav Bindra lauds Indian contingent at Paris 2024
The former Indian shooter, Abhinav Bindra, who serves as the IOC Athletes' Commission Vice-Chair lauded the Indian contingent for their efforts while adding that they put up spirited performances. Speaking on the sidelines of the 142nd IOC session. “I think it’s been a spirited performance. All our athletes have performed at a high level. We may have six medals to show on our tally, but if you really go in-depth into performances, we have never had a Games where our athletes have been so competitive across disciplines, many of them have been close to medaling.”
Out of the six medals, three have come in shooting. While Manu Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to get an Olympic medal, she was joined by Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale. Highlighting on the shooting medals, Bindra added, “It was fantastic, we have gone back with three medals after two blanks in Rio and Tokyo, and even the athletes who did not win came close - many of them made the finals. It was very encouraging.
