Friendly Fridays Chapter 29: Ace Shooter Abhinav Bindra

1195

As part of the “International Sports Legends on Friendly Fridays” Campaign, ED chats up with 3 biggest names from the sporting world and this week we have with us, Ace Shooter, Olympic Medalist Abhinav Bindra.

010 ... (083)

Team ED: How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Abhinav Bindra: Hardworking, Ethical, Simple.

Team ED: What is your personal aim, your goal in life?
Abhinav Bindra: To win as many Olympic medals and glory for India, do equally well in other spheres of life and contribute to develop India as a Sporting Nation.

Team ED: How did things change for you after the Olympic win and the sudden stardom, fame and public life?
Abhinav Bindra: I became an overnight sought celebrity, a household name but on a personal level life was the same for me and also at present I prefer a grounded life.

Abhinav-Bindra1
Team ED: What was the ‘real’ reason behind your retirement from professional shooting and what keeps you busy now?

Abhinav Bindra: There is no real reason behind my retirement. I have only retired from Asian / Common Wealth Games but not from World Cups / Olympic Games and if the National call is there, I have no reason to say no.

Team ED:What would be your alter ego?

Abhinav Bindra: My Mother “Babli” is my alter ego, with whom I share my emotions, pain and disappointments in equal measure.

Team ED: If you could choose to be born in some other nation, which one would it be and why?

Abhinav Bindra: Germany. I have spent a major part of my life there, training. It has the best systems in place with equality for everyone’ life, which suits me.

Team ED: If the sports authorities in the country are not supportive, what is the way a budding sports person can make his mark in the world?

Abhinav Bindra: Parents’ support – Corporate support– Sporting NGOs’ support plus a lot of hard work from your end.

abhinavbindraaplllll
Team ED: One piece of advice you would want to give to college goers who wish to take up shooting as a career. Should they take up the conventional education based career or non-conventional career in sports like shooting?

Abhinav Bindra: A shooting career requires hard, focused, determined life but my advise is to never neglect education and rather create a balance between the two.

Team ED: You come across as a very serious, sober person. What’s been your craziest, wackiest, wildest moment?

Abhinav Bindra: My wackiest, wildest moment was during my training for Beijing Olympics in Germany. I climbed a 80 ft pole to balance myself and to dispel human fear. It was surely a mad moment for me.

Team ED: Thank you so much Sir for your time and this insightful conversation. We hope to see you shining in the field and winning India some great laurels. 

Abhinav Bindra: Anytime. Thanks for having me.

For international golfer Jeev Milka Singh’s interview on ED’s Friendly Fridays, as part of the same campaign, click here.

For Badminton Star Jwala Gutta’s interview on ED’s Friendly Fridays, as part of the same campaign, click here.

So guys, see you around next week with yet another great sporting legend, and till then, Adios!

(Interview Conceptualized by Pratishtha Mahajan)

(Banner credits: Abhinav Jain)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here