Abhinav Bindra: Golden Shooter of India
Abhinav Bindra, a famous Indian businessman, and elite professional shooter, is well known for his specialization in 10m Air Rifle discipline. Well, he has swept awards in most competitions – both in the Olympic Games and World Championships – making him perhaps the best among Indians in shooting.
Early Life
Abhinav Bindra made history by becoming the first Indian to win an individual gold medal in the Olympic Games, doing so in the 10m Air Rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The country last saw an Olympic gold in individual event form in 1980 via team effort from men’s hockey. He is currently the only shooter from India who has received both Olympic and World Championship titles.
He has given something for the nation to rejoice, like the gold medal at the 2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships and a gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Personal Background
He was born on the 28th September 1982 into a very affluent Punjabi household. His success is attributable not least to the sterling support received from both parents, Apjit Bindra and Babli Bindra. After The Doon School, he went to St.Stephen’s School, Chandigarh.
Bindra cultivated a natural passion for shooting as a sport during his school days, and this initiation was being focused by his parents, who built an indoor shooting range at the house to help train him upon recognizing his talent and commitment to the sport.
Early potential was discovered by Dr. Amit Bhattacharjee and Lt. Col. Dhillon, who also molded him during his adolescence. Interestingly, Bindra himself acknowledges having no innate talent and terms innate mythological within success on practice, discipline, and hard work. The early dreamer was to win an Olympic medal, and that gold medal at the level of a district is equally cherished, he holds high regard for both.
Academically, Bindra studied a Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) at the University of Colorado, USA. Apart from shooting, he is a businessman; the CEO of Abhinav Futuristics, the exclusive dealer of Walther arms in India, has formed strong corporate partnerships with BSNL, Sahara Group, and Samsung, and he is a member of the FICCI Sports Committee. He also represents Steel Authority of India Ltd as its brand ambassador.
Professional Journey
Bindra’s journey in competitive shooting began at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, where he was the youngest Indian participant. However, his international career truly took off in 2001, when he clinched a bronze medal at the Munich World Cup with a record score of 597/600. Notably, he was also the youngest Indian shooter at the 2000 Olympic Games.
In 2001, Bindra earned six gold medals in various international events and was honored with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. He continued his winning streak by securing gold in the Air Rifle pairs event and silver in the individual category at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Despite his promising form, he was unable to secure a medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, he made history in 2006 by becoming the first Indian shooter to win gold at the ISSF World Championships in Zagreb. That same year, he clinched another gold medal at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Unfortunately, a severe back injury sidelined him from the 2006 Asian Games, forcing him to take a year-long break from shooting, which affected his preparation for the Beijing Olympics.
Nonetheless, Bindra made a remarkable comeback, securing a quota for the 2008 Olympics at the ISSF World Championships. At the Beijing Olympics, he delivered a historic performance by winning the gold medal in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event with a qualification score of 596. His Olympic triumph was celebrated nationwide, and he received numerous accolades from the Indian government and private organizations.
Awards and Honors
Abhinav Bindra has received multiple prestigious awards throughout his career:
Arjuna Award (2000)
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2001)
Honorary Doctorate (D.Litt) from SRM University (2008)
Padma Bhushan (2009)
Honorary Lieutenant Colonel by the Indian Territorial Army (2011)
Blue Cross (Highest honor in shooting by ISSF) (2018)
Honorary Doctorate (DPhil) from Kaziranga University (2019)
Major Achievements
Olympic Games
🥇 Gold – 2008, Beijing (10m Air Rifle)
World Championships
🥇 Gold – 2006, Zagreb (10m Air Rifle)
Commonwealth Games
🥇 Gold – 2002, Manchester (10m Air Rifle – Pairs)
🥇 Gold – 2006, Melbourne (10m Air Rifle – Pairs)
🥇 Gold – 2010, Delhi (10m Air Rifle – Pairs)
🥇 Gold – 2014, Glasgow (10m Air Rifle – Singles)
🥈 Silver – 2002, Manchester (10m Air Rifle – Singles)
🥈 Silver – 2010, Delhi (10m Air Rifle – Singles)
🥉 Bronze – 2006, Melbourne (10m Air Rifle – Singles)
Asian Games
🥈 Silver – 2010, Guangzhou (10m Air Rifle – Team)
🥉 Bronze – 2014, Incheon (10m Air Rifle – Team)
🥉 Bronze – 2014, Incheon (Men’s 10m Air Rifle)
Personal Details
Full Name: Abhinav Bindra
Sport: Shooting (10m Air Rifle)
Father’s Name: Apjit Bindra
Mother’s Name: Babli Bindra
Coaches: Dr. Amit Bhattacharjee & Lt. Col. Dhillon
Height: 173 cm (5ft 8 in)
Weight: 65.5 kg (144 lbs)
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Date of Birth: September 28, 1982
Birthplace: Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Uttarakhand
Religion: Punjabi Sikh
Controversies
Despite his remarkable achievements, Bindra has occasionally found himself in the media spotlight for controversial statements:
He criticized Sourav Ganguly, stating, “Who said Ganguly is not involved in politics? I know he is a political sports administrator. You should understand how he rose through the ranks.”
He openly expressed disappointment over the exclusion of shooting from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, calling it an unjust decision.
His remarks on his coach, Uwe, stirred debate when he said, “My biggest teacher was my coach. I hated him! But I stuck with him for 20 years because he always told me things I didn’t want to hear.”
He also spoke out regarding Vishwanathan Anand’s citizenship issue, stating that the chess grandmaster deserved proper recognition.
Net Worth
Abhinav Bindra’s estimated net worth is between $500,000 to $1 million, accumulated from his sports career, business ventures, and brand endorsements.
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