It146;s lonely at the top for Bindra

It was just one of those media interactions where, after a pre-written statement is read out...

It was just one of those media interactions where, after a pre-written statement is read out, you expect an exchange of routine questions before the interviewee leaves amidst a thousand flash-bulbs. Instead, basking in the warmth of India8217;s first-ever individual Olympic gold, India8217;s 8216;Iceman8217; silenced the audience by showing his philosophical side. After five days of media frenzy, umpteen interviews and I-feel-happy statements, on a day that began early in the morning with a meeting with the President, the sports minister and the vice-president, Abhinav Bindra gave a rare glimpse of himself, and what the achievement 8212; that has suddenly made his name a must in future general knowledge books 8212; means to the 25-year old.

8220;It feels empty,8221; he said, three words that were enough to take the huge gathering of reporters by surprise. 8220;It8217;s like being at the top of a mountain, you keep climbing and then suddenly there is nothing 8212; it8217;s just a kind of emptiness.8221;

But if Bindra thought it would be enough 8212; and his weariness was clearly visible 8212; it was not to be as the expectant hush in the room only got louder. 8220;You feel you have given your best, done it all, and now that you have achieved what you have worked all your life for, it8217;s just done, life goes on,8221; he added helpfully.

This, perhaps, is the closest one can get to the mind of a man who kept an impassionate face even as the tri-colour ascended at the Olympics. Bindra gave another example of his level-headedness while explaining how important the gold medal was to him. 8220;It took a lot of courage to stand up again after Athens where he finished seventh in the final, and personally, for me, that is much more important than winning the gold. Every competitor at the Olympic stage is a potential champion 8212; everyone is very, very talented. Winning and losing is just part of the game. On his day, anyone can win. It8217;s the fight back after being down that matters,8221; he said.

Bindra stressed that he 8220;needed a break now8221;, insisted he had 8220;no interest8221; in going to Bollywood and was mature enough to realise, after 12 years of sweat and toil, that 8220;whatever goes up has to come down8221;.

Work to be done

And while Abhinav Bindra is considered by some as the epitome of political correctness, he did remind all those who were celebrating his achievement that what he had done was the culmination of years of preparation, training, determination and hope. It was not a reflection of the country8217;s sporting prowess, or the administration of sports in India. 8220;Unfortunately, we do not have a serious long-term Olympic programme, unlike most other countries. The government and the federations need to support athletes at the grassroots, without which India will not be taken seriously as a sporting power,8221; he said.

His suggestion to the powers that be? 8220;I hope this brings about a positive change in the management of sports in India, helping to make winning a habit for every Indian athlete,8221; he signed off, wanting to go to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, but he could not. There was another round of meet-the-dignitaries to follow.