Abhinav Bindra awarded with prestigious Olympic Order

Legendary Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra has been awarded the prestigious Olympic Order for his exceptional contributions to Olympic sports.

The accolade, the highest honor in the Olympic Movement, was conferred by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during the 142nd IOC Session in Paris on Saturday.

Bindra, India’s first-ever individual gold medallist, received the award ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"When I was a young boy, it was these Olympic rings that gave meaning to my life,” Bindra reflected. “It was a privilege to pursue my Olympic dream for over two decades. Post my athletic career, it has been a great passion of mine to contribute back to the Olympic Movement," he said.

The Olympic Order, established in 1975, recognizes individuals for their distinguished service to the Olympic Movement.

A letter dated July 20 from the IOC Executive Board announced Bindra's selection for the award, praising his outstanding service.

Bindra’s Olympic journey includes five Games, starting from Sydney 2000. His breakthrough came at Athens 2004 with a final appearance in the men’s 10m air rifle. At Beijing 2008, Bindra won gold by defeating China's Zhu Qinan, and he competed at Rio 2016, finishing fourth.

In addition to this honor, Bindra was elected Second Vice-Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission on Friday. He has been a member of the commission since 2018.

On his election, Bindra expressed, "I’m committed to serving in the best interests of athletes worldwide and ensuring their voices are heard."

The IOC also appointed former Polish biker Maja Włoszczowska as the other Vice Chair and re-elected Emma Terho, a former Finnish ice hockey player, as Chair of the Athletes’ Commission.