Abhinav Bindra, thank you for making Indian history

The 1896 Summer Olympics hosted by Greece was the first ever edition of the mega international games, but even a hundred and twenty years since India's first appearance at the Olympics, we have managed JUST ONE individual gold medal to date.

 

In the very second edition of the Olympics, Indo-British athlete Norman Pritchard, who participated in the Olympics under the Indian flag, came very close to winning India's maiden gold. Unfortunately, eventual Hollywood actor Pritchard, missed the gold by a mere 0.6 seconds in both his events -200 metres and 200 metres hurdles.

 

Meanwhile, the Indian men's hockey team won six consecutive gold medals between 1928 and 1956. They went on to add two more, but an individual gold still eluded India.

 

Twenty-four years later, at the 2004 Olympics at Athens, India once again lost out on an individual gold medal when Indian veteran shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore bagged the silver with a stellar shot, taking India’s individual medal tally to a measly four.

 

2008, would prove to be the year India  would shine and how! 

 

The famous Beijing edition will forever be etched in every Indian's memory, for a 25-year-old Abhinav Bindra full-filled India’s long-awaited dream bringing home an Olympic gold in an individual event – sharp shooting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He is the only Indian to have held both, the World and Olympic titles at the same time. He had earlier won the gold at the 2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships.

 

As an 18-year-old, Bindra was the youngest Indian participant when he made his Olympics debut at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The same year he was presented with the Arjuna Award by the Government of India.

 

He was also honoured with India’s highest sporting award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, for winning six gold medals across international meets in 2001, making him only one of 28 athletes to have won this prize.

 

Today, India's 'Golden Boy,', as he is fondly called, aimed his final shot for India at an international event. He finished fourth in the 10 metres air rifle event. The elimination moment was not just tough for him, but for the nation. His face showed the disappointment. The social media erupted with thank you messages for the oldest shooter of the current lot at Rio.

 

India's Olympics flag bearer served the nation for 18 years and has decided to retire his glorious international career with a total of 12 medals that he’s won for India at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

 

Thank you, Abhinav Bindra. India will miss cheering for you in the big tournament. It goes without saying, you indeed have made us proud!