Editor's Pick | Paris Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker’s historic bronze opens India’s medal hunt

Manu Bhaker, India’s 22-year-old shooter, won the bronze medal at the 10m air pistol competition at Paris Olympics 2024 on Sunday. With this, Ms. Bhaker became the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. Ms. Bhaker, who suffered heartbreak at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after pistol malfunction, won the historic medal under her coach and two-time Olympian Jaspal Rana. In the 1990s, Mr. Rana was one of India’s top pistol shooters and later headed the country’s junior programme. Ms. Bhaker ended India’s 12-year-long wait for a shooting medal at the Olympics. India had last won a medal at a shooting event at London Olympics in 2012. This is, however, not her first win at a major international competition. Ms. Bhaker was the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. At 16, she won a gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, her maiden appearance at the Games. Ms. Bhaker, along with Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan, won the gold at the Asian Games 2022. A day before her final, when Manu was battling the butterflies in her stomach, she revisited a verse in the Bhagavad Gita where Sri Krishna guides the Pandava prince Arjuna in his own moment of self-doubt to focus on his duty. “He tells Arjun, focus on your work, don’t worry about the results tomorrow. So the same was going on in my mind. I was thinking that whatever would happen today, I’d see it today. I have to give my best every shot. I have the whole evening to think about the outcome,” she said. Ms. Bhaker received praises from sportspersons and political leaders of the county for her achievement, including Olympic medal winner Abhinav Bindra, President Droupadi Murmu, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She will also compete in the women’s 10m pistol mixed team event on Monday and the women’s 25m pistol events later in the competition. The Hindu’s Editorials Competitive federalism: On the NITI Aayog Plastic mess: On India’s waste problem The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus founded which organisation? Proshika Organization Grameen Bank BRAC Shakti Foundation To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 29 July 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 29 July 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Paris Olympics 2024: Manu Bhaker’s historic bronze opens India’s medal hunt [Manu Bhaker]( India’s 22-year-old shooter, won the bronze medal at the 10m air pistol competition at [Paris Olympics 2024]( on Sunday. With this, Ms. Bhaker became the [first Indian woman shooter]( to win an Olympic medal. Ms. Bhaker, who suffered heartbreak at the [2020 Tokyo Olympics]( after pistol malfunction, won the historic medal under her coach and two-time Olympian Jaspal Rana. In the 1990s, Mr. Rana was one of India’s top pistol shooters and later headed the country’s junior programme.  Ms. Bhaker ended India’s 12-year-long wait for a shooting medal at the Olympics. India had last won a medal at a shooting event at London Olympics in 2012. This is, however, not her first win at a major international competition. Ms. Bhaker was the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. At 16, she won a gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, her maiden appearance at the Games. Ms. Bhaker, along with Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan, won the gold at the Asian Games 2022. A day before her final, when Manu was battling the butterflies in her stomach, she revisited a verse in the Bhagavad Gita where Sri Krishna guides the Pandava prince Arjuna in his own moment of self-doubt to focus on his duty. “He tells Arjun, focus on your work, don’t worry about the results tomorrow. So the same was going on in my mind. I was thinking that whatever would happen today, I’d see it today. I have to give my best every shot. I have the whole evening to think about the outcome,” she said. Ms. Bhaker received [praises]( sportspersons and political leaders of the county for her achievement, including Olympic medal winner Abhinav Bindra, President Droupadi Murmu, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She will also compete in the women’s 10m pistol mixed team event on Monday and the women’s 25m pistol events later in the competition. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Competitive federalism: On the NITI Aayog]( [Arrow][Plastic mess: On India’s waste problem]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus founded which organisation? - Proshika Organization - Grameen Bank - BRAC - Shakti Foundation To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Budget 2024: New job schemes to kick off this year, says Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan] Budget 2024: New job schemes to kick off this year, says Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan]( [[Paris Olympics: Simone Biles makes stunning return to competition] Paris Olympics: Simone Biles makes stunning return to competition]( [[Malleswari to Bhaker: Eight Indian women and their nine Olympic medals] Malleswari to Bhaker: Eight Indian women and their nine Olympic medals]( [[Paris Olympics: Manu Bhaker’s historic bronze opens India’s medal hunt] Paris Olympics: Manu Bhaker’s historic bronze opens India’s medal hunt]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](