Manu Bhaker arrives home to enthusiastic reception
Hundreds of people, who waited at the airport long before her arrival despite the morning drizzle in the city, accorded her and her coach Jaspal Rana an enthusiastic reception
PTI
New Delhi, 7 Aug
Lifted on shoulders, garlanded and
showered with rose petals -- star pistol shooter Manu Bhaker's return to the
country was a memorable affair as hundreds of supporters braved a steady
drizzle to welcome her on Wednesday after her historic feat of winning two
medals in a single edition of the Olympics.
The Air India flight (AI 142),
which brought Bhaker from Paris to Delhi, landed at the Indira Gandhi International
Airport at around 9:20am, delayed by one hour. Hundreds of people, who waited
at the airport long before her arrival despite the morning drizzle in the city,
accorded her and her coach Jaspal Rana an enthusiastic reception.
The 22-year-old Bhaker won a bronze
each in the women's 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event, in
which she had paired with Sarabjot Singh, to script Olympic history for the
country. Before her, only British-Indian athlete Norman Pritchard had achieved
the rare landmark for the country with his two silver medals in 200m sprint and
200m hurdles at the 1900 Olympics but this happened in the pre-Independence
era.
Before leaving for India, Bhaker
had stated that she was looking forward to a grand welcome and she was not
disappointed on Wednesday.
The youngster was greeted with
bouquets, garlands, and celebratory dhol after emerging from the airport exit.
Rose petals were also showered on her and Rana as soon as they came out amid
significant police presence to manage the crowd. Bhaker and Rana were
eventually lifted on the shoulders by the gathering.
The multiple time World
Cup-medallist gold-medallist proudly displayed her two Paris medals to the
crowd, while smiling and waving at them.
Among those present were Bhaker's
parents -- Ram Kishan and Sumedha -- and sports enthusiasts and officials from
her home state Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, the state to which Rana
belongs. "Many more Manu Bhakers will come in future," Rana asserted
during a quick interaction with the assembled media.
Rana's father was also there at the
airport. "It is a matter of pride for us that a daughter of India is
coming back after creating history by winning two medals in an Olympics. It has
never happened before. She is only 22 years old," said former Uttarakhand
Sports Minister and Rana's father, Narayan Singh Rana.
"She is coming along with her
coach Jaspal Rana. He is my son. He brought glory playing for India in
shooting. Jaspal Rana and Abhinav Bindra started it all," he added.
People gathered at the airport long
before her arrival and they celebrated her feat with song and dance, holding
banners with photos of Bhaker and Rana.
Bhaker will be meeting sports
minister Mansukh Mandaviya in the afternoon. She will head back to Paris on
Saturday to participate in the closing ceremony on Sunday where she will be one
of India's flag-bearers.
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