Manu Bhaker strikes a patriotic chord with violin tribute on Independence Day

Manu Bhaker

Double Olympic medalist and ace shooter Manu Bhaker marked India's 79th Independence Day with a heartfelt gesture that went beyond the shooting range. In a moving tribute, Bhaker shared a video on her official Instagram handle, playing the tune of the national anthem on a violin.

In her post, she wrote: "An attempt to play the tune that is closest to my heart this Independence Day. Each time I represent India, I wish to stand on the podium and listen to this. Generally, we sit and play the violin, but this time subconsciously, we stood up while playing the National Anthem. It's the admiration for our nation that cannot be put into words. Jai Hind!"

Bhaker's tribute comes just a year after a memorable campaign at the Paris Olympics, where she etched her name in history. She became the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal by securing bronze in the women's individual 10m air pistol event, India's first medal of the Games. She followed it up by winning another bronze alongside Sarabjot Singh in the mixed 10m air pistol event, earning India its first-ever team medal in Olympic shooting.

In her third event in Paris, the 25m pistol, Bhaker narrowly missed out on making it a historic treble, finishing fourth. A podium finish would have made her the first Indian to win three medals in a single edition of the Olympics.

Her achievements in Paris were especially sweet, coming after the heartbreak of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. A malfunction in her pistol during the 10m air pistol qualification round cost her valuable time and ultimately a place in the finals. She finished 12th and also fell short in the 25m event, ending in 15th place. The mixed team event saw her exit in seventh.

Despite the Tokyo setback, Bhaker bounced back stronger. At the 2023 Baku Shooting World Championships, she clinched gold in the 25m pistol team event, adding to her silver from the 2022 edition. Her impressive medal tally also includes a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold in the 10m air pistol and a team gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

On the world stage, Bhaker has accumulated 20 ISSF World Cup medals, 13 gold, three silver, and four bronze. Her dominance extends to the Asian Championships as well, with four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals to her name.