Games India : Olympic Games 2008 Beijing, China,Indian Players at Olympic Games 2008 Beijing,China

From a virtual non-entity to the country’s hottest property overnight, Abhinav Bindra has struck gold. Not just in Olympics. The Chandigarh shooter who picked up India’s first ever individual gold in Olympics is expected to see his brand value shooting up to a couple of crores, riding not only on his historic feat but also his youthful personality.

On Monday, Bindra, the World champion, beat a classy field including the defending champion and Olympic record holder Zhu Qinan of China, to win the men’s 10m air rifle competition.

In what was a historic moment, the 25-year-old Bindra came up with an outstanding last shot of 10.8, as against a maximum possible 10.9, to seal the gold, after having tied for it with the Finn Henri Hakkinen after nine shots.

Abhinav Bindra made a junior world record score of 597/600 in 2001 Munich World Cup and won bronze; gold in 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games; became the first Indian shooter to win a World Championship gold; Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2001.
In the 2004 Athens Olympics, despite breaking the Olympic record Bindra failed to win a medal. But on July 24, 2006, Bindra became the first Indian shooter to win a World Championship gold in Zagreb. Karni Singh’s silver in 1962 was the previous best by an Indian in a World Championship meet.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday announced a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh to Abhinav Bindra, the winner of gold medal for shooting at the ongoing Beijing Olympics, on behalf of the state.

Bindra became India’s first ever-individual gold medallist in the Olympics after winning the 10m air rifle event at Beijing on Monday morning.