At the 142nd International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session held in Paris, India’s iconic shooter Abhinav Bindra was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order. This accolade is the highest honor given by the IOC, celebrating individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the Olympic Movement.
In response to receiving this honor, Bindra remarked, “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.”
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Bindra’s remarkable journey to this accolade is distinguished by numerous achievements both on and off the field. As India’s first individual Olympic Gold medalist, Bindra clinched gold in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Games. His trailblazing success continued as he became the first Indian to win a World Championship Gold in Air Rifle Shooting. Over his two-decade career, Bindra amassed over 150 individual medals, solidifying his status as one of India’s most celebrated sports figures.
His excellence in sport was recognized globally when he received the Blue Cross in 2018 from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), the federation’s highest honor. Bindra has also been instrumental in sports governance, having chaired the ISSF Athletes Committee for eight years and currently serving on the IOC Athlete Commission and Education Commission. These roles have allowed him to shape global sports policies and advocate for athletes around the world.
Following his retirement, Bindra founded the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT), a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing grassroots athletes in India with state-of-the-art sports science technology. The foundation focuses on high-performance training, education, and social upliftment, aiming to introduce international best practices to India’s sporting ecosystem.
Among ABFT’s notable initiatives is the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), launched in collaboration with the IOC’s Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage (OFCH) and state governments in Odisha and Assam. OVEP, which began in Odisha in 2022 and expanded to Assam in 2023, aims to instill the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect in over 11,000 schools, reaching more than 1 million students. The program is set to expand further, with a goal of impacting 13 million schoolchildren by 2025.
Bindra’s commitment to environmental sustainability is also evident through the Odisha Ridley Forest Project, which seeks to protect the habitat of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles along the Odisha coastline.
This prestigious award not only underscores Bindra’s exceptional legacy in sports but also highlights his ongoing efforts to promote the values of Olympism and foster a positive impact on future generations.
(Includes agency inputs)
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