Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised Abhinav Bindra, the gold medalist from the Beijing Olympics, for receiving the prestigious Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday. This award, introduced in 1975, is the highest honor within the Olympic Movement, given to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to sport. Bindra, who won India’s first-ever individual Olympic gold in the 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will receive this accolade during the IOC’s 142nd session in Paris on August 10.
Amit Shah expressed his admiration for Bindra on his official X account, calling him a sportsman with “exemplary feats” and acknowledging his ongoing influence as a mentor to athletes. “Kudos to @Abhinav_Bindra for being awarded the Olympic Order. A sportsman with exemplary feats, Abhinav Bindra continues to inspire athletes with his enlightening mentorship. All my best wishes are with him,” Shah wrote.
IOC President Thomas Bach sent a letter to Bindra, congratulating him on this honor. The letter read, “It is with great pleasure that I inform you that the IOC Executive Board has today decided to award you with the Olympic Order for your outstanding services to the Olympic Movement. The award ceremony will take place during the 142nd IOC Session in Paris on 10 August 2024. May I take this opportunity to address you my most sincere congratulations on this award, looking forward to seeing you in Paris.”
Following this recognition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Bindra, highlighting his contributions both as an athlete and a mentor. Modi wrote on X, “It makes every Indian proud that Abhinav Bindra has been awarded the Olympic Order. Congratulations to him. Be it as an athlete or a mentor to upcoming sportspersons, he has made noteworthy contributions to sports and the Olympic Movement.”