Star pistol shooter Manu Bhaker made a triumphant return to India on Wednesday, greeted by a jubilant crowd of supporters and family members at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Bhaker’s historic feat of winning two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol and another in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, has etched her name in the annals of Indian sporting history.
The Air India flight carrying Bhaker and her coach, Jaspal Rana, touched down at around 9:20am, an hour behind schedule. Despite the early morning drizzle, hundreds of people had gathered at the airport hours before her arrival, eager to witness the return of their Olympic hero.
As Bhaker emerged from the airport exit, she was greeted with a thunderous applause, bouquets, garlands, and the rhythmic beats of dhol. Flower petals were showered upon her and Rana as they made their way through the crowd, which was managed by a significant police presence.
Among those present to welcome Bhaker were her parents, Ram Kishan and Sumedha, as well as sports enthusiasts and officials from her home states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand. Rana’s father, Narayan Singh Rana, a former Uttarakhand Sports Minister, expressed his pride in his son and Bhaker’s achievements.
“It is a matter of pride for us that a daughter of India is coming back after creating history by winning two medals in an Olympics. It has never happened before. She is only 22 years old,” said Rana.
Bhaker’s historic feat has drawn comparisons to British-Indian athlete Norman Pritchard, who won two silver medals in the 200m sprint and 200m hurdles at the 1900 Olympics. However, Bhaker’s achievement is particularly significant as it came in the post-Independence era.
Before leaving for India, Bhaker had expressed her anticipation for a grand welcome, and she was not disappointed. The crowd celebrated her feat with song and dance, holding banners with photos of Bhaker and Rana.
Bhaker is scheduled to meet with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the afternoon. She will then return to Paris on Saturday to participate in the closing ceremony of the Olympics, where she will be one of India’s flag-bearers.
