How India celebrated Manu Bhaker, other Olympic shooters

Brimming with confidence, Manu Bhaker recalled telling herself, ‘Girl, you can do it!’ as she reflected on her journey to the Paris Olympic s. The reception, held at The ITC Maurya in New Delhi on Friday, August 30, celebrated the achievements of the Indian shooting team.

Bhaker, who made history by clinching two Olympic medals, along with fellow medalists Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, received thunderous applause at the gala event. Fans crowded around the trio, eager for selfies and autographs, while the hotel baked a special cake to honour the Olympians.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), in association with city lawyer Diljeet Titus of Titus & Co. and Pernod Ricard India, hosted the Olympians.

During the event, Bhaker was presented with a prize of Rs. 45 lakh, while Sarabjot Singh received Rs. 15 lakh, and Swapnil Kusale was awarded Rs. 30 lakh.

Cash awards of Rs. 5 lakh were also presented to the High Performance Director, Dr Pierre Beauchamp, as well as coaches Thomas Farnik, Manoj Kumar, and Samaresh Jung.

Dressed in Tricolours, the shooters engaged in a free-flowing conversation with their fans, discussing their Olympic experience, motivation, future dreams, and much more.

The twin medalist

“I learnt many lessons from Tokyo. I let the fear of disappointing people and the pressure to win a medal get into my head, and that ended with me not even qualifying,” Bhaker, who claimed two bronze, said.

“This time, I didn’t let that happen. I had faith in my training, and that kept me positive and confident.”

“Shooting requires tremendous patience and calmness, and you cannot lose focus. We need to scout shooters at a very early age, train them from that time, and have faith that they will deliver,” Bhaker added, offering advice for aspiring pistol shooters.

As the double medalist basked in her glory, her mother remarked with a wistful smile, “We’ve hardly had time to be together as a family since her return from Paris. But this is Manu’s moment, and we’re happy for her to be in the limelight,” all the while holding her daughter’s medals proudly in her hands.

Bhaker, who plans to take some time off to unwind before starting her preparation for a gold medal at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, intends to indulge in her hobbies. “I like playing the violin,” she adds. “I haven’t had much time to pursue my hobbies, so maybe now I can.”

A reluctant shooter

Singh, who clinched a bronze medal in the mixed shooting with Bhaker, says with a mischievous smile that he won’t reveal the first person he called after his victory.

“But I can tell you that I won the medal because of my teammate, my coach, and my family. My dream now is to change the colour of my medal,” Singh adds.

Although most of his family is settled abroad, Singh chose to stay in India because he always wanted to contribute to his country, and he feels his time has finally come.

He is not done yet and has set his sights on gold. To achieve this, he plans to focus on his physical fitness and reveals that yoga—particularly a technique called Trataka—has been instrumental in improving his concentration.

According to Singh, fitness is crucial for success. He has previously suffered from injuries caused by an overload of training.

He also admits that he wasn’t initially a big fan of shooting, mainly because the shooting range was far from his home, but he gradually grew to love the sport. Besides shooting, he has a passion for cars, with his dream car being a BMW.

My family was my rock throughout

For Kusale, who won a bronze medal in rifle shooting, the drive for gold remains paramount. He says he plans to apply all he learned from the Paris experience to enhance his performance for the Los Angeles Olympics.

“Mental focus and strength are vital for a shooter. I had to train my thoughts, learn to handle pressure, stay calm in tough situations, and remain positive,” Kusale explains.

“Self-motivation was crucial, and both my coach and mental coach helped me tremendously. My entire family supported me like a rock throughout.”

He also credits Tejaswini Sawant, the former Olympian with whom he trains in Pune and who is like a sister to him, as a significant influence.

Despite the busy schedule since winning the medal, Kusale, who loves driving, hopes to take some long, relaxing drives to unwind. When asked who he would take along, he says he plans to go alone for now, as he is still searching for a girlfriend, though he notes there is no shortage of contenders!

Diljeet Titus, one of the co-hosts of the event, remarked, “As someone who appreciates and values our heritage, I have always been interested in activities rooted in Indian history, culture, and vintage items such as royal artefacts and cars.”

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“Shooting, with its long association with our history and many royal champions, captured my interest. I am proud to see our young shooting champions bring glory to the country with their skills, which is why I am here to support and honour them.”

Sultan Singh, Secretary General of the NRAI, said that the shooters’ inspirational performance in Paris will raise the bar even higher for athletes in the country.

The evening also featured the presence of Olympian Gagan Narang, members of erstwhile royal families, and former Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi.