India's first-ever individual Olympic Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was awarded with the 'Olympic Order' honour at the 142nd IOC session in Paris. Bindra, who won a Gold medal in men's 10m air rifle at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, was bestowed with the Olympic Order, the highest honour by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Olympic Movement.
"When I was a young boy, it is these Olympic rings which gave meaning to my life and it is a privilege to be able to pursue my Olympic dream for over two decades," Bindra said on being involved with the Olympic movement. "Post my athletic career, it has been a great passion of mine to try and contribute back to the Olympic movement. It's been a privilege and an honour. This award only fuels that passion more and I hope to continue to even work harder and keep contributing to the Olympic movement for the rest of my life.
"This recognition is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the spirit of perseverance and dedication that sports instil in us all. I am deeply honoured to be recognized by the IOC, and I dedicate this to all the athletes and sports enthusiasts who strive to uphold the Olympic ideals," Bindra added.
Bindra, a recipient of around 150 individual medals in sport shooting, was awarded the Blue Cross in 2018, the highest honour by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). Since retirement, Bindra has been involved in encouraging and helping the young generation to prepare for the Olympics by helping them avail the best technology through Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT), supporting the grassroots athletes.
Bindra is one of the six Indian athletes to win an Olympic medal apart from the likes of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Vijay Kumar, Gagan Narang, Manu Bhaker twice in Paris and Sarabjot Singh.
