Abhinav Bindra occupies a special place in the heart of all Indians and this special place was accorded to him when he became the first individual Olympics gold winner and oh, what a day it was to be an Indian.
Born on the blessed day of September 28, 1982, Bindra became the apple of the nation's eye by winning the men's 10-meter air rifle event at the 2008 Summer Olympics. So it's hard to believe that the now 38-year-old did not have any particular liking towards sports. The Zirkpur (Punjab)-born tried his hand at tennis and golf before putting on blinkers and giving his all to shooting. And look where it has led him now.
Nine medals at the Commonwealth Games, three at the Asian Games, Padma Bhushan awardee and whatnot, Bindra has earned them all. Plus, he started out really young. It was at age 15 that he participated in the 1998 Commonwealth Games and became the youngest participant to do so. Currently, he runs Abhinav Bindra Foundation to nurture the sports ecosystem of the country.
Bindra is a down-to-earth, now retired, athlete who is known for his humility. Here are some of his words to live by:
- Practice is a talent. Perseverance is a talent. Hard work is a talent
- Repentance may begin instantly, but reformation often requires a sphere of years
- A billion people, but how many play?
- I have only one talent, I can work harder than anyone else
