Goa, November 25, 2025 – India's first individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, has expressed his confidence that the Olympic Games will eventually be held in India. Speaking at a press conference in Goa on the sidelines of the FIDE World Cup final, Bindra stated that it is "only a matter of time" before the Games come to India.
Bindra, who made the ceremonial first move at the FIDE World Cup final, emphasized that India should use its bid to host the Games as a catalyst for change, regardless of whether the bid is successful or not. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that sport emerges as the ultimate winner and moves forward.
"I think the Olympic Games will come to India. There is no doubt about it that the Games will come to India," Bindra told journalists. "It is a matter of timing on when they will eventually come. It is a good thing that we are bidding and we are going into that journey," he added.
Gujarat's Ahmedabad has already been selected to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, which is widely seen as a precursor to India potentially hosting the Olympic Games for the first time.
Bindra pointed out the increasing sense of purpose within the Indian sporting ecosystem, referencing the National Sports Governance Act 2025 that was recently enacted. He commended the attitude towards the Olympic bid and conveyed his best wishes to the team involved. As an Indian athlete, Bindra expressed his desire to see the Olympic Games come to India sooner rather than later.
Highlighting the dual aspects of sports development, Bindra acknowledged the progress made in supporting elite athletes in recent years. He stressed the desire to see more Indian athletes winning medals, especially if the Olympic Games were to be held in the country.
Bindra, who won India's first individual Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 in the 10-meter air rifle event, believes the next decade will be significant for sports in India. He anticipates increased sports development, greater investment in sports, and a rise in the number of people actively participating and spectating.
He also emphasized the importance of providing children with more opportunities to experience playing sports in schools, not just to create champions but to promote a healthier lifestyle and instill values. Bindra believes that increased grassroots participation will lead to greater involvement in elite sports.
Abhinav Bindra's career is an example of dedication to perfection. His gold medal in Beijing broke a sporting barrier that had haunted the nation for over a century. Bindra's journey and training methods are detailed in his autobiography, "A Shot at History: My Obsessive Journey to Olympic Gold".
Bindra's Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008 remains a historic moment for India. He also served as a goodwill ambassador for the Indian contingent at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Bindra's primary outreach to Indian sports is through the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to integrate sports, science, and technology into Indian sports and encourage high-performance physical training.
