Abhinav Bindra Honored with Olympic Order for Distinguished Contribution

Indian shooting legend Abhinav Bindra was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee for his exceptional contributions to the Olympic movement. Bindra, India's first Olympic individual gold medallist, expressed his gratitude and commitment to continue supporting the Olympic cause.

Indian shooting icon Abhinav Bindra was honored with the prestigious Olympic Order on Saturday, recognizing his 'distinguished contribution' to the Olympic movement.

Bindra, India's first-ever Olympic individual gold medallist from the 2008 Beijing Games with his top finish in the 10m air rifle event, received the honor from the International Olympic Committee during its 142nd Session.

'When I was a young boy, it was these Olympic rings that gave meaning to my life,' Bindra remarked. 'It has been a privilege to pursue my Olympic dream for over two decades. Post my athletic career, I've been passionate about giving back to the Olympic Movement. It’s a privilege and an honor,' he added.

The 41-year-old, who also serves as the vice-chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission, stated that the award would inspire him to continue his dedicated work toward the Olympic Movement.

The Olympic Order, established in 1975, is the highest accolade of the Olympic Movement, awarded to individuals for their exceptional contributions.

Bindra participated in five editions of the Summer Games, starting from Sydney 2000. He made his initial mark at Athens 2004 by reaching the men's 10m air rifle final and later clinched gold at Beijing 2008, defeating defending champion Zhu Qinan of China. He also reached the final at Rio 2016, finishing in fourth place.

Since 2018, Bindra has been part of the IOC Athletes' Commission.