After qualifications, Bindra was placed fourth in the final eight. Gagan Narang was eliminated to ninth place on a back-count after tying for the last spot with four others, all of whom then made it through. He knew what Bindra’s feat was all about, shyly finding himself a better spot to observe the medal ceremony.

Character shows itself in moments of success and failure. Bindra’s met both without the exuberant gesture. Four years ago at Athens, he broke the Olympic record to qualify for the finals, to find himself shooting really well, and yet finally ending seventh. When he left his position and the next contestant came to position herself for the final, her coach found something wrong. She examined the floor and found it had been vibrating. The contestant took aim a few paces away, and won a medal.

Bindra never complained. He battled injury and disappointment. And today he remembered it like this: “After Athens it was hard for me to take the plunge. But I decided to, I worked hard.” How did he do it, winning India’s first gold medal at a world championship along the way in 2006? “There’s not much to say. You just have to be at it, be at it.” And then the revealing words: he shot better at Athens.

That is perhaps why he refused to be drawn into discussions on how India’s first individual gold would change his life. “For me, life will go on,” he said. “It’s alright. But I sincerely hope it will change the face of Olympic sport in India. That is not a priority in India.”

... contd.