Grand welcome to India's golden boy, Abhinav Bindra

New Delhi, Aug 14: India"s lone Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra returned home late in the wee hours of Thursday, AUg 14 morning. He was given a grand welcome at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Besides his family, a large number of Abinav"s fans had gathered at Airport to receive him. His father A S Bindra, his mother Babli Bindra, his sister and brother-in-law were also present at the airport.

"I am very happy. I feel honoured that I have won the first gold medal in the Olympics," said Abhinav amidst beating of drummers and huge presence of media persons and security personnel. On Thursday, Aug 14, Abhinav is scheduled to meet Union Sports Minister MS Gill, President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Bindra had been fourth after qualifying but had a brilliant final round and he hit a near perfect 10.8 on his last shot to pull in front of Henri Hakkinen of Finland, who fell to bronze with a poor final shot. He hit a near perfect 10.8 in a brilliant final shot to pull ahead of Henri Hakkinen of Finland, who stumbled in his last shot allowing China's Zhu Qinan, the favourite, to take the silver. India had only won four individual medals, none of them gold, since sending their first team to the Summer Games in 1928.

The men's hockey team has won the Olympic tournament eight times, but the last time was in 1980.

ANI