Profile:25-year old Abhinav Bindra created history by winning the gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle shooting in Beijing 2008 Olympics. It is the first time an Indian won the Olympic gold in 112 year Olympic history. India won the gold medal for the last time in 1980 Moscow Olympics (Men’s Hockey). Bindra is in fourth place after qualifying round but he held his nerves in winning the gold medal in a nail biting finish.

Abhinav Bindra came from an affluent Punjab family and has full shooting facilities at his home. He was termed as child prodigy since childhood. He represented India in world competitions for the last 10 years. Bindra is in third place after qualifying round in Athens Olympics but failed to hold his nerve in finals and fell to seventh place despite in superb form.
 
Name: Abhinav Bindra

Nick Name: AB

Date of Birth:September 28, 1982

Place of Birth: Dehra Dun

Residence: Chandigarh

Height :        5' 8''

Weight: 65 Kg

Nationality: Indian

Profession : Sportsman (Shooter)

Family:Father – Dr.Apjit
Mother - Babli Bindra
Sister - Divya (fashion designer)

School: Doon school, Dehradun

Education: M.B.A

First coach: Lt. Col. J.S. Dhillon

His company: Abhinav Futuristics.

Sports Event: 10m air rifle shooting

Plus point: Coolness.

Minus point: Olympic gold medal win is late by his standards.

Quotes after winning the medal:
 

1. "Shooting is 99 per cent luck and one per cent training" – Abhinav Bindra.

2. "On the podium the Chinese man was crying, while today India is laughing" – Bindra father.

3. “I have an air-conditioned shooting range with a totally computerised Target Transportation System of international standards” – Bindra quoted the secret behind his success.
 
 Abhinav Bindra records:
 
1. He is the first individual Indian Olympic gold medallist. No Indian failed to win an individual Olympic gold since 1896 Athens Olympics. Previous best Indian individual performance came from another shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore who won silver medal in 2004 Athens Olympics.
 
2. He broke the Olympic record in Athens Olympics but failed to win a medal.
 
3. He was the world champion in 2006 in Zagreb. He was the first Indian to win a world championship gold.
 
4. He was honoured with prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2001. This is the India’s highest sporting award.
 
5. Bindra was the youngest participant at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games at 16.
 
6. 2001 was the best year for this Arjun Award winner. He won six gold medals in various events.
 
7. Beijing is the third Olympics for this talented Indian shooter.
 
 Awards:
  
1. Arjuna award in 2000.
 
2. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2001.
 
 Top 3 Indian sports performances:

 1. Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in 2008 Beijing Olympics in 10 m air rifle event.
 
2. Indian cricket team won the 1983 cricket world cup under inspirational Kapil Dev leadership.
 
3. Viswanathan Anand performances in chess, Twenty20 world cup win in 2007 and inspirational performances by Milka Singh and P.T. Usha in Olympics.

Indian sports lovers may never forget August 11, 2008. This sensational performance by Abhinav Bindra will change the Indian sports scenario forever. This win is more significant as it happened on the same day when India lost another test match to Sri Lanka in cricket.

Bindra, also a Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardee, bravely fought a career-threatening back injury, which forced him out of the Doha Asian Games. He booked his Beijing berth by winning the 2006 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia - a first by an Indian.