Business magnate Anand Mahindra Sunday praised ace India shooter Manu Bhaker, who made history by finishing third to secure a bronze medal in the final of the Women's Air Pistol event and opened India’s medal tally. Bhaker, 22-year-old, from Haryana's Jhajjar became the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics.
Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the Mahindra Group chairman who often shares amusing, as well as, motivational posts on Twitter, said, "The medal is Bronze… But that look is Pure GOLD. Steely-eyed determination that made her the first Indian Woman to win a shooting medal in the Olympics. Don’t ever try to get in her way.”
The ace shooter’s achievement is being celebrated across the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the sports fraternity joining the country to hail her achievement.
“A historic medal! Well done, @realmanubhaker, for winning India’s FIRST medal at #ParisOlympics2024! Congrats for the Bronze. This success is even more special as she becomes the 1st woman to win a medal in shooting for India.
An incredible achievement!” Prime Minister Modi posted on X.
Meanwhile,Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation chairpersonand IOC called it "an incredible moment".
"Our youngest woman shooter has opened India's tally at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a bronze. Congratulations,Manu Bhaker! As the first Indian woman to win in the 10 m air pistol at the Olympics and our youngest Indian shooter to do so, you've made history," Ambani said.
Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman in 20 years to reach an shooting final in an individual event of Olympics since Suma Shirur in 2004. Her achievement ended India's 13-year wait for a shooting medal in the Olympics. This was also the first medal India won at the Paris Olympics. The last time India won medals at the Olympics was in the 2012 London edition, when rapid-fire pistol shooter Vijay Kumar and 10m air rifle marksman Gagan Narang clinched bronze.
