Abhinav Bindra
Born 28 September 1982 · Uttarakhand
Winning India's first individual Olympic gold medal in men's 10m air rifle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
🔔 Add birthday reminderAbhinav Bindra is an Indian former sport shooter and a businessman. He is an Olympic gold medalist as well as the first and one of only two Indians to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Bindra is also the first Indian to have held concurrently the World and Olympic titles for the men's 10-metre air rifle event, having earned those honours at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2006 World Championships. Bindra has won seven medals at the Commonwealth Games and three medals at the Asian Games.
✨ A detail that surprised us
Bindra carried the Olympic torch at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, symbolizing his enduring influence beyond his competitive career.
1. In 1998, at just 15 years old, Abhinav Bindra was the youngest participant at the Commonwealth Games, marking his early entry into international shooting competitions.
2. 🌍 By 2001, he set a new junior world record with a 597/600 score at the Munich World Cup, earning a bronze medal and six gold medals in international meets that year.
3. 🥇 On July 24, 2006, Bindra became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Championships in Zagreb, a feat that placed him on the global shooting map.
4. 🎯 At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bindra clinched the gold in men’s 10-metre air rifle, becoming the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal with a stunning performance.
5. In 2016, at the Rio Olympics, he narrowly missed a podium finish by placing fourth in the 10-metre air rifle event and was appointed as the goodwill ambassador for the Indian contingent.
6. After retiring in September 2016, Bindra launched the Abhinav Bindra Foundation to integrate sports science and technology into Indian sports training programs.
7. In 2018, he was honored with the ISSF's Blue Cross, the highest award by the International Shooting Sport Federation, recognizing his impact on the sport.
8. ❓ What drives a shooter like Bindra to maintain intense focus and discipline through two decades, often training abroad to overcome local limitations, to finally break India’s Olympic individual gold medal drought?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
🔍 One thing most people don't know
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Bindra was the youngest Indian participant and scored 590, placing 11th but missing the finals by a narrow margin.
🖼️ Through the Years
📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
"In shooting, you are only as good as your mind’s ability to control your body."
— Abhinav Bindra
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
India’s Abhinav Bindra 🇮🇳 I Legends Live On
YouTube📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
Abhinav Bindra's 2008 Olympic gold created a paradigm shift in Indian sports, proving that individual athletes could achieve top global honors. His foundation promotes the use of scientific training methods, influencing how Indian shooters and athletes prepare for international competitions. His role in the IOC Athletes' Commission and as a goodwill ambassador has also elevated India’s presence in global sports governance.
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