Manu Bhaker was standing in the sun for more than an hour, giving interviews to the assembled Indian media outside the shooting venue in Chateauroux after winning her individual bronze in 10m air pistol. She had the 10m mixed qualifications a day later.
Manu doesn’t have too many friends here. In the shooting team, they are colleagues, but not so close that they would spend time chatting and sharing experiences. She spends time in the village in her own solitude, and she quite likes it. After winning the second medal in the mixed team event in 10m air pistol along with Sarabjot Singh, she was there again. This time it was longer. The occasion demanded it. She had become the first sportsperson in independent India to win two medals in one Olympics. Yet she was a personification of humility and simplicity. This defines her; the calmness within, her capacity to not let success get into her head and the tenacity to recover and shoot again 10 points after 10.
A heat wave was sweeping through central Europe and Chateauroux, too, was on its trajectory. The air was hot and devoid of humidity. But after a mixed zone interaction, a long press conference, dope testing, equipment check and deposit, Manu was there for the waiting media, answering questions with patience and pleasure.
Manu has evolved as a good speaker; there is a small story behind that. She believes that her interaction with famous and influential personalities, politicians that includes chief ministers and even the Prime Minister has helped her evolve into a better speaker. This, according to her, has helped her build more confidence too, even professionally.
Manu also felt that the unsavoury past, when she was trolled after the Tokyo 2020 Games and the very bitter public split between her and coach Jaspal Rana, made her stronger. “Emotionally I have matured and become stronger,” she said. “I know people forget easily. The way they reacted after Tokyo. I don’t care anymore whether I win or lose. I am enjoying the sport.”
She just wanted to derive pleasure out of whatever she is doing. And after the bronze medals, she was quick to admit that there is no point living in the past and best thing for every individual would be to move on.
The past reminds her of struggles but that gives her courage too. Making mistakes and admitting them takes more than just guts. She broke down after every event in Tokyo and the victories here were more than just cathartic. There was a pistol malfunction in the 10m qualification due to which she lost time and missed qualification.
Things were not going well for Manu until she decided to get back with her estranged coach Jaspal Rana last year. This reveals another tenet of Manu. Admitting to mistakes and making amends. She approached her coach, told him she would continue shooting only with him or else, she would quit after 2024. They got together in June and trained for the Olympics.
The joy was back, she would say. “I am just enjoying shooting,” she said. “There is no burden anymore. I am working hard and the results will follow.” An avid reader of the Gita, she tries to imbibe whatever she could from the holy manual. “Just like in the Gita, I believe in karma and I work hard without thinking about the result,” she said.
“It’s the types of experiences you have with people that makes you mature. Dealing with so much pressure when I was 16, 17, 18 and even now has contributed to making me mature. I have been talking to high-profile people and the media also. What are the things one can do and what are the limits one can cross. That is the professional part of any athlete,” she said.
Jaspal, too, has been the driving force. He has been the perfect foil. Her training methods are different and suits Manu so well that she doesn’t seek anyone’s help.
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