After meeting the Indian contingent returning from the Paris Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his honor in hosting the athletes at his residence. On Independence Day, PM Modi welcomed the Olympians at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi, where they shared their experiences and received his support.
During the event, the Indian men’s hockey team presented PM Modi with a signed jersey and hockey stick. He praised the resilience of goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, nicknamed ‘The Wall,’ and commended all the athletes for their determination, whether they won medals or narrowly missed out, vowing that their journey towards gold would continue.
Shooter Manu Bhaker, who made history as the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympics, expressed how much PM Modi’s encouragement meant to her. “I felt great when PM Sir called me after I won the medal. His support was invaluable,” Bhaker said.
Badminton player Lakshya Sen reflected on his training under coach Prakash Padukone, recalling how Padukone took away his phone during the Olympics to keep him focused. Though Sen came close to winning a medal, he fell short and vowed to work harder in the future. “It was heart-breaking to be so close to a medal but not win it. I’ll strive to do better next time,” he said.
Former Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh discussed his long career, which began in 2002, and his thoughts on retirement. Having represented India for 20 years, Sreejesh considered the Olympics an ideal stage to contemplate retirement, especially after the team lost the semifinal. However, his teammates were determined to win the bronze for him, rallying around him with the sentiment, “We have to play for Sree bhai.”
India concluded its campaign at the Paris Olympics with six medals—five bronze and one silver. The Indian men’s hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, made history by winning back-to-back bronze medals for the first time in 52 years, defeating Spain 2-1.
In shooting, Manu Bhaker cemented her legacy by becoming the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win two medals in a single Olympics, breaking a record held by Norman Pritchard since the Paris 1900 Games. Bhaker won a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win a medal in this category. Alongside Sarabjot Singh, she secured a second bronze and India’s first-ever medal in the mixed team 10m air pistol event. Bhaker narrowly missed a third medal, finishing fourth in the women’s 25m pistol shooting event.
