Double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, along with her coach Jaspal Rana and her parents, met with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the Leader of Opposition’s room at Parliament House on Friday. The meeting took place two days after Bhaker arrived in Delhi following her historic achievement at the Paris Olympics 2024, where she won two medals in pistol shooting.
Upon returning to India, Bhaker was greeted with a grand welcome at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Wednesday. She met with several leaders, including Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The Paris Olympics marked a redemption for Bhaker, who faced disappointment at the Tokyo 2021 Games due to a gun malfunction. In Paris, she secured third place in the women’s individual 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. She also earned bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event with Sarabjot Singh, marking India’s first-ever shooting team medal. Despite a strong performance, Bhaker narrowly missed out on a historic third medal, finishing fourth in the women’s 25m pistol event. She is the first athlete from India to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics since independence. With two medals in shooting at Paris 2024, India has matched its best-ever shooting performance from London 2012. The country did not win any shooting medals at Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020.
Bhaker is scheduled to return to Paris on Saturday and will serve as the female flag bearer for the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony on Sunday.