Sports Blog

As the title of this post says - Abhinav Bindra has just become the only one out of a billion plus people by winning an Olympic Gold medal at the Beijing Olympic - 2008. Although, India won gold before, it was in a team sport - the Field Hockey. The last time India won the precious medal was way back in 1980 at the Moscow Olympic. In between, individual success at the Olympic came only in the form of Bronze by Khashaba Jadav (1952 Helsinki Olympic  , Bronze by Leander Paes (1996 Atlanta Olympic) and Silver by Rajyavardhan Rathore (Athens Olympic 2004). So this is the first time the billion plus country has ever produced an olympic gold medalist.

In fact, Abhinav has been showing promise of Olympic medal since he burst onto the scene at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 where he won 2 gold medals in his pet event - the 10m Air Rifle. Before that he won some international competitions but none that big in magnitude and importance. After that he won 2 more gold medals at Melbourne Commonwealth Games and ISSF World Shooting Championship in Zagreb - both event being held in 2006. He also became world number one in his event.

Of course Abhinav is not just sport. Coming from a rich family (his parents are promoters of 70 Hitech Group of Companies with $70 million annual turnover) - he had his schooling in one of the best schools in India - the Doon School. He also holds M.B.A degree from University of Colorado. He has been fond of shooting since his schooldays and his talent was first spotted by his first coach Lt. Col. j.S. Dhillon.

So it is a dream come true not only for Bindra, but also for a nation desperately starved of Olympic glory. Well done abhinav - may you inspire all of us to win many more Olympic glory for our country in times to come. :p