He looks quiet and shy, but he has mental toughness. Abhinav is a toughie. Nobody can make him change his decision once he decides to do something. That is why he could go through ups and downs and achieve his goal. We created a support system for Abhinav and gave him exposure to the world around. We fulfilled his travel requirements.
In our family, his Papa signs the cheques and I take over the rest. God has been kind that we could provide him what he wanted. The government helped, but our system is painfully slow and frustrating. To get government help you have to first climb the mountain. The Mittal Champions Trust gave us up to Rs 50 lakhs. They would not give cash, but they would pay for the trainer or physiotherapist.
India's Olympic winners
After the Olympic win the Punjab government has given Abhinav Rs 1 crore, L N Mittal has given Rs 1.5 crore, many states have also given Abhinav cash awards. I am very happy. This money will have a different impact on my son. This is recognition for his hard work. Neither my son nor me are materialistic, but this is the reward he is getting for working hard, and he must get it. This will boost his ego, this will boost his morale. It will be a huge incentive.
Abhinav is CEO of a company which imports computer games. Sometime he helps his father, but he rarely has the time. From Beijing he told me he wanted to come home and sleep.
When he called us from Beijing, he said, "Hiee Mom! what's happening?" I said, "What's happening!! Well done! Congratulations! We are proud of you. See baba, I told you, you will win the gold medal." I knew he would win. I had the mother's instinct that he would win the first gold medal for India. Honest to god, I had such an instinct. I had seen his focus, hard work and his mission. For so many years he had only one mission -- 'I have to win an Olympic gold medal for my country.'
It was his tapsaya. He could have been a spoilt brat, but we are lucky that he didn't go haywire. He took up a mission in life. I have never have told him not to drink alcohol or not to do certain things, but he didn't pick up any such habits. Luckily, our children listen to us. I have been a firm mother, but I gave them the liberty to do things.
Sportsmen are a different breed altogether. They have a mission in life and they need discipline. Abhinav doesn't like crowds, but he is happy to have his fans. We are enjoying the limelight. So many messages are coming in. Our relatives are saying, "Hug him on our behalf."
We may go for a quiet holiday to Malaysia. I don't know where we will go. He says he is tired of traveling. He has been living out of a suitcase for a long time. He has achieved one goal, but he will have to settle down in his businesses too. He is not going to leave shooting. That is in his blood now.
Image: Abhinav Bindra checks the scores during the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Position competition at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
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