Kerala - Kochi   

Bindra lifts the spirits in Kochi

KOCHI: Abhinav Bindra swept Kochiites of their feet on Monday with that single shot that brought home the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in an individual event.

Wherever people converged, the talk centred around the feat of this short bespectacled lad from Chandigarh who shot down a gold medal in the 10-metre air rifle event. Those who could not find friends to share their joy kept on sending SMS. Messages like ‘hip hip hurray! hail the golden boy, bolo Abhinav Bindra ki jay,” flew thick and fast across the city.

“At last, we Indians can feel part of the world of sports. It would somewhat wipe away our ignominy of not being able to produce an Olympic winner despite having more than a billion people to grow sports persons out of,” an overjoyed E.M. Mujeeb, a former secretary of the Ernakulam District Hockey Association, who now works at the district irrigation department, said.

It also erased his disappointment over the Indian hockey team’s failure to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in the history.

“Man! It’s gold. Do you realise; a gold,” screamed Nikhil, a second year BA student at the Maharaja’s College even as he hi-fived with his equally excited friends. “We will hold the Tricolour with real pride on this Independence Day with the scenes of our flag being raised at the Olympics still fresh in our hearts. Believe me, I never thought of seeing it during my lifetime,” he said.

K.C. Chacko, a retired government official, who had been watching the event on television, could not contain his excitement. He sprang to his feet and clapped as Bindra hit the target and edged past his closest contender to make history.

“It is a moment for all the Indians to feel proud and would be an inspiration for many youngsters in a country where real sports idols are few,” he said.

Regional news channels were not to be left behind as they devoted hours of airtime to discuss the victory even as rushes of Bindra standing on the podium and the Indian flag being raised with the national anthem being played in the background kept flashing across the screen. A news channel kept open its telephone lines for the ecstatic sports fans to share their excitement.

Politicians were not to be kept out of the euphoria with ministers and opposition leaders coming in front of television cameras to say how excited they were.

Bindra’s hitting the target is expected to create a renewed interest in the 52nd National Shooting Championship to be held at the Rifle Club in Thodupuzha from December 4 to 14. No doubt, the ace shooter will be the cynosure of all eyes if he turns up for the event.

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