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Olympic shooter Abhinav Bindra
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He’s been there and done that when it comes to the sporting arena but now ace Olympic shooter Abhinav Bindra would like something different on his turf.
The 27-year-old, who loves cars and gadgets and likes to watch Bollywood films, admits, “I haven’t had much of a social life. I’ve been disciplined so far with my work and shooting.
” Is there someone in his life? “No,” he says, “But I know what I’d like to see in someone — simplicity, compatibility and a nice heart.”
He recently matched his 2008 Olympic score on two occasions — last December at Luxemburg and then in February in Holland. So where does the winning mantra come from? “It’s all about continuing to perform. I enjoy shooting; it’s in my blood and I can never leave it,” he smiles.
For someone who practices his sport 50 hours a week, there’s very little that can make him swap that schedule for anything else. However, one project has had him in multitasking mode for the past few months — his sports foundation. Abhinav says, “It is my priority. I’ve been lucky as I have been able to support my passion (shooting). Now, I also want to promote it. India has huge talent and I want to nurture the game with providing the best possible facilities right from the grassroots level. I’d want sport to become a social activity. A family outing must consist of playing a sport,” he says.
The foundation was also something that fit into Abhinav’s plans like a jig-saw puzzle. “Ever since the Olympics, I had a strong desire to do something. I had a tough time figuring out what to do with my life and didn’t know what I wanted to do; all I knew was it had to be meaningful,” adds the shooter.
He’s hardly a visitor to the city but when he drops into Mumbai, Abhinav enjoys his trip. “Maybe I’ll look at a few art galleries here the next time — I love art but for me, I would rather go and watch paintings than covet one for my wall,” he laughs.
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