Talk of giving back to the sport that gave you so much. Abhinav Bindra, Beijing Olympic gold medallist, has finally agreed to take up a mentoring role with India’s current crop shooters.
With India having already won 13 quota places for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is keen to maximise the chances of India winning medals. India has drawn a blank after the 2012 London Olympics, with no shooting medal in either Rio di Janeiro or Tokyo.
Even as fans are excited that Bindra will be there to help the shooters, the former champion sought to clear the air on what being a mentor meant. “It is crucial and important for me to explain I am not taking on a hands-on coaching role,” he told RevSportz in an exclusive chat.
For those not aware, Bindra’s doors have always been open to sportspersons all these years. It’s just that he has preferred not to seek publicity from it. Yet, after the Tokyo Olympics, when two gold medallists – he and Neeraj Chopra – met, there was a brilliant exchange of ideas and views.
After finishing fourth in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Bindra did not return to shooting as a competitor. But for someone who got everything from the sport, now is his time to give back. “I was offered a professional fee for the job,” said Bindra. “No, I don’t need money from Indian shooting. What I am going to do is pro bono (for the public good).”
In days gone by, during the course of many interviews with this writer, Bindra had said that he would be a failure as a coach. What he meant was that so intense was his quest for perfection that most students would have run away.
How times change.
“It’s not going to be a proactive role,” he reiterated. “It’s a role where I will be more than happy to assist when advice is sought.”
Bindra doesn’t see himself in the role of a hard taskmaster either. “I will only speak to an athlete after taking the views from their respective coaches,” he said. “I do not want to create confusion for the shooters. The HPD (High Performance Director) is the point of contact in case an athlete/coach wants to connect with me.”
The decision to take the plunge did not happen overnight. Talks were on between Kalikesh Singh Deo, NRAI senior vice president, and Bindra for a while. “As far as I am concerned, the advice will be more on a strategic level, not technical,” he said. “The coaches and other staff are already doing a fine job.”
Contrary to any perceptions that Bindra will be hand-holding each pistol and rifle shooter, the actual role is going to be very different. He believes in a proper chain of command, and how shooters need to first be in touch with their coaches. Yet, when it comes to sharing his experience of five Olympics, Bindra has always been available to athletes.
It’s no secret that even before this official role was envisaged, he had unofficially been mentoring a few shooters. He just did not want any publicity, or to take attention away from the coaches and the HPD.
Will the hero of Beijing be ready to advise the NRAI, if needed? “Of course, if the federation needs any advice or want to run anything past me, I will be happy to give my views,” said Bindra. “They need to come up with a clear protocol with the HPD on how I can be reached. My doors have always been open to athletes and coaches of all levels. Yes, I will try and help and assist to the best of my ability.”
As an athlete who has set up quite a few high-performance centres, rehab centres and much more, Bindra is excited about the new challenge. After all, it’s high time India ended that shooting drought.