Abhinav Apjit Bindra is an Indian

Olympic gold medallist Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

, retired sport shooter, and businessman.Athlete Biography: Abhinav Bindra
The official website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He is the first and one of only 2 Indians to win an Individual Olympic Gold Medal. He is the first Indian to have held concurrently the world and Olympic titles for the men's 10-meter air rifle event, having earned those honors at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the

2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships The 49th ISSF World Shooting Championships were held in Zagreb, Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homel ...

. Bindra has also won seven medals at the Commonwealth Games and three medals at the

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until t ...

. With more than 150 medals in his 22-year career, he is the recipient of the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India and is one of the top influencers of sport policy in the country. At the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

in Rio de Janeiro, Bindra finished fourth in the finals of the 10-meter air rifle event. He also served as a goodwill ambassador for the Rio 2016 Olympics Indian contingent, having been appointed to that post by the Indian Olympics Association (IOA). On September 5, 2016, he announced his retirement. Bindra's primary outreach to Indian sports is through the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to integrate sports, science, and technology into Indian sports and encourage high-performance physical training. In 2018, Abhinav was bestowed with the prestigious Blue Cross, the ISSF's highest honor. Bindra is also currently a member of the

IOC Athletes' Commission International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission (IOC AC) is a majority elected body that serves as a link between athletes and the IOC. The mission of the IOC AC is to ensure that athletes' viewpoint remains at the heart of the Olympic Moveme ...

Career

Early years

Bindra was born in

Dehradun Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative As ...

in Uttarakhand, to a

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

family. He was educated at the Doon School in

and at St. Stephen's School in Chandigarh. He studied

business administration Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of managem ...

at the University of Colorado Boulder. Determined to train with the best possible facilities, which were then not available in India, he would train for prolonged periods in Germany.

Notable international performances

At the age of 15, Bindra was the youngest participant in the

1998 Commonwealth Games The 1998 Commonwealth Games ''(Malay: Sukan Komanwel 1998)'', officially known as the XVI Commonwealth Games ''(Malay: Sukan Komanwel ke-16)'', was a multi-sport event held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This edition is marked by several unprecedent ...

. He was also the youngest Indian participant at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

in Sydney. At the 2000 Olympics, he achieved a score of 590, placing him 11th in the qualification round. With that score, he was not able to qualify for the finals. He was also honored with the

Arjuna Award The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, is the second-highest sporting honour of India, the highest being the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The award is named after Arjuna, one ...

that year. In international competitions, he won his first medal, a bronze, at the 2001 Munich World Cup with a new junior world record score of 597/600. He won six gold medals at various international meets that year and received the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, India's highest sports award. In the air rifle event at the

2002 Commonwealth Games The 2002 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XVII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Manchester 2002 were held in Manchester, England, from 25 July to 4 August, 2002. The 2002 Games were to be hosted in the United Kingdom to coin ...

in Manchester, he finished with gold in the pairs event and silver in the individual event. In the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

in Athens, he established a new Olympic record but did not win a medal. He scored 597 in the qualification round and placed third, preceded by Qinan Zhu (599, a new Olympic record) and Li Jie (598). In the finals, Abhinav finished with 97.6 points, last in the field of eight; he was the only player with less than 100 points and dropped to the seventh position. After these successes, a severe back injury incapacitated him and he was unable to lift a rifle for a year, interrupting his preparation for the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...

. Bindra returned to compete and won the title at the

with a score of 699.1, qualifying him for the 2008 Summer Olympics. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Bindra titled in the men's 10-meter air rifle event, shooting a total of 700.5. He scored 596 in the qualifying round, finishing fourth, and outscored all other shooters in the finals with a round of 104.5. In the finals, he started with a shot of 10.7, and all others never dipped below 10.0. Bindra was tied with Henri Häkkinen heading into his final shot. Bindra scored his highest of the finals – 10.8 – while Hakkinen shot 9.7 to settle for the bronze medal. At the

2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, f ...

in New Delhi, Bindra was honored as the national flag-bearer at the opening ceremony. He also was given the honor of taking the athletes' oath on behalf of the 6,700 participants from 71 countries and territories. Bindra, along with Gagan Narang, shot in unison to set a games record of 1,193 points in the 10-meter air rifle pairs event for men to win India's inaugural gold medal at the 19th Commonwealth Games. He brought home a silver medal in the individual event. Bindra won the gold medal in the men's 10-meter air rifle event at the 12th

Asian Shooting Championships The Asian Shooting Championships are governed by the Asian Shooting Confederation. Asian Shooting Championships began in 1967. These championships, including almost all ISSF shooting events, are held every four years. Asian Shooting Championships ...

, held in Doha, Qatar. He lost in the qualification round at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

in London, finishing in the 16th place with a score of 594. In the

2014 Commonwealth Games The 2014 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a' Cho-fhlaitheis 2014), officially known as the XX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Glasgow 2014, ( sco, Glesca 2014 or Glesga 2014; gd, Glaschu 2014), was an international multi-sport ev ...

in Glasgow, Bindra again won gold in the men's 10-meter air rifle singles event. At the

in Rio de Janeiro, he came fourth in the men's 10-meter air rifle singles event after losing a shoot-off for the top 3 to Serhiy Kulish, who eventually won the silver medal.

Business career

Bindra has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Colorado. Bindra is the CEO o
Abhinav Futuristics Private Limited
an organization that works to bring science and technology into the sport and healthcare sectors. Wit
ABTP
a group of sports science and advanced physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) centers, the organization has served more than 5,000 athletes and medical patients. Under th
Abhinav Bindra Foundation
a non-profit initiative, athletes are provided access to the latest sports technology and high-performance physical training for free. Many athletes from sports such as swimming, badminton,

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...

, and para-athletics have benefited from the foundation's various programs. In 2020, he launched the
Abhinav Bindra Sports Medicine and Research Institute
at Bhubaneswar with the mission of'' bringing Global Best Practice to the Indian Healthcare and Sports Medicine Sector. Since his retirement, Bindra has been involved with the TOP Scheme, one of India's most significant policies for athlete development. He has also been a part of the ISSF and IOC Athlete Commissions, where he has worked for the development of athletes through mental health, financial stability, and entrepreneurship initiatives. Bindra's net worth is estimated to be around $10 million.

Summer Olympics

Personal life

Harper Sport published Bindra's autobiography, ''A Shot at History: My Obsessive Journey to Olympic Gold'', which he co-authored with sportswriter

Rohit Brijnath Rohit David Brijnath is a veteran Indian sports journalist. Early in his career, Brijnath was a key member of the now-defunct weekly magazine ''Sportsworld'', where he wrote alongside young journalists such as Mudar Patherya and Andy O'Brien. ...

in October 2011. It was formally released by Union Sports Minister

Ajay Maken Ajay Maken (born 12 January 1964) is a politician from the Indian National Congress party. He is the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). He was formerly a minister ...

on October 27, 2011, at a function in New Delhi. The book received positive reviews, and

Harshvardhan Kapoor Harshvardhan Kapoor (; credited since 2022 as Harshvarrdhan Kapoor; born 9 November 1990) is an Indian actor and film producer. He is the son of actor Anil Kapoor. Early life Harsh was born in Mumbai on 9 November 1990, the only son of actor ...

has been cast for the lead role in a future biopic based on the memoir. Abhinav Bindra Coaching

Awards and accolades

* 2000 –

Arjuna award The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, is the second-highest sporting honour of India, the highest being the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The award is named after Arjuna, one ...

* 2002 –

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna The Khel Ratna Award (), officially known as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award ( Major Dhyan Chand Sport Jewel Award), is the highest sporting honour of India. It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Gove ...

(India's highest sports award) * 2008 −

Honorary An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include: * Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States * Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germany ...

doctorate ( D.Litt) from SRM University * 2009 – Padma Bhushan * 2011 – Made an honorary lieutenant colonel by the

Indian Territorial Army The Territorial Army (TA) of India is an auxiliary military organisation of part-time volunteers that provides support service to the Indian Army. It is composed of officers, junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and other per ...

* 2018 – ''Blue Cross'', highest shooting honor by International Shooting Sport Federation * 2019 –

doctorate ( DPhil) from Kaziranga University Awards for 2008 Olympic gold medal * by Mittal Champions Trust * cash prize from the

Indian Central Government The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, co ...

* cash prize by the state government of Haryana * cash prize by the Board of Control for Cricket in India * cash prize by the Steel Ministry of India * cash prize by the state government of

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...

. The Patna Indoor Stadium will be renamed after Bindra. * prize by the state government of Karnataka * cash prize by S. Amolak Singh Gakhal, chairman, Gold's Gym * cash prize by the chief minister of

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

state * cash prize by the state government of Orissa * cash prize by government of Tamil Nadu * cash prize by the state government of

Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...

* cash prize by the state government of Madhya Pradesh * A free lifetime railway pass by the Railway Ministry of India * A gold medal by the state government of Kerala
* cash award by Pune Municipal Corporation

Bibliography

References

External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bindra, Abhinav Living people 1982 births Sport shooters from Uttarakhand Recipients of the Arjuna Award Recipients of the Khel Ratna Award Indian male sport shooters ISSF rifle shooters Commonwealth Games gold medallists for India Commonwealth Games silver medallists for India Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for India Olympic gold medalists for India Olympic shooters of India University of Colorado alumni Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in sports Shooters at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Asian Games medalists in shooting Olympic medalists in shooting Shooters at the 2000 Summer Olympics Shooters at the 2004 Summer Olympics Shooters at the 2008 Summer Olympics Shooters at the 2012 Summer Olympics Shooters at the 2016 Summer Olympics The Doon School alumni Indian autobiographers Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Shooters at the 2002 Asian Games Shooters at the 2010 Asian Games Shooters at the 2014 Asian Games Asian Games silver medalists for India Asian Games bronze medalists for India Commonwealth Games medallists in shooting Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games Sport shooters from Punjab, India