Paris 2024: Manu Bhaker, Jaspal Rana as thick as father and daughter in Olympic journey

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If emotions could be captured only in reel life and not real life, you had to be present at the 10-metre indoor hall to witness history being created. On Sunday, Manu Bhaker, now a famous face all over India, in TV, print, digital media and social media, won a historic bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

This was a story, self-scripted. Manu decided she would hire her personal coach, pay for him, and then he guided her. No, he did not do this for money, Jaspal Rana, the Dronacharya awardee was made villain after the Tokyo Olympics. Manu had also said he was responsible for her failure in Tokyo.

But then, in the middle of 2023 she regretted, cried and pleaded, he (Jaspal) coached her. On Sunday, Manu hugged the coach like a daughter would be in her father's arms. That is the bond between Manu and Jaspal, emotional, where the coach has played a vital role in seeing her ascend the podium. He has been strict with her, and pushed her hard. Results came on Sunday, and a historic bronze medal from shooting was the first for India.

No story or script is complete without returning to the time coach Jaspal saw the potential in Manu. She was part of the junior programme, six or seven years ago. When she had started winning, it was a habit. Nationals, Asian meets, and more. But then, the Tokyo Olympics was a disaster and Jaspal had no role in it.

Now that he is being celebrated, hear the story. He had to beg for his accreditation card to come to Paris, and what a shame that. For the two to train in Luxembourg and then arrive in Paris, enough sweat, enough toil. The Bhaker family trusted Jaspal Rana and he took over. It was an easy journey as young Manu and Jaspal sir had trained for years.

But nothing could end. The schedule had to go on and on, attain perfection, become calm, stay focussed. It was a job to be done with passion, not as a workload. Jaspal, a Dronacharya awardee, had been a shooter himself, a celebrity. For him, Manu means the world. He gave his best, put heart and soul into her training. To produce a champion, one has to be very different, be a mind trainer and a Guru.

Manu was the best learner. When trust became faith, she would do anything he said to become the best in shooting. Proof of it came in the hard Olympic trials first. Then came Paris, a journey where there was no fear, for both the shooter and the coach.

Imagine, there are two more events for Manu and she is back at training for her next match on Monday at the Paris Olympics! No time for celebration even, just dope test and then the medal ceremony. Manu said sorry for winning a bronze medal, and the nation accepted her as the darling, the heroine.

She has become unique, a bit like Karnam Malleswari in 2000. This medal from Manu means so much to all in India, This Indian government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi harps on "Nari Shakti" and Manu represents that power. The Government backs her and the coach, they cleared Jaspal as the personal coach to Paris.

That was just the prelude. In the last few days, it was best Manu and Jaspal spent time at the ranges, coffee shops and other arenas. This was bonding, not boring. How does this work, ask Manu. "Jaspal sir brought back the smile to my face last year and again this year," she said.

Imagine, she is far away from India, and yearns to be with her parents. But there is no hurry. Manu reads scriptures and the Holy Bhagwad Gita. She believes in Karma and Krishna. If the Olympics was a battlefield, Manu Bhaker showed she was a warrior. What a win, what a medal. This is history, this is magic, this is brilliant.

And, what a start from India in Paris 2024.