‘Welcome to the club!’ Abhinav Bindra greets Neeraj Chopra after historic gold

India’s tally of individual gold-winning Olympians has finally reached two. Following Neeraj Chopa’s historic gold medal win in javelin throw on Saturday, 2008 gold medallist in shooting Abhinav Bindra tweeted his congratulations with a personal letter to the 23-year-old from Panipat, Haryana.

“Many congratulations on becoming India’s second Olympic Gold medalist. To win a Gold at the grandest sporting event in the world, which is held every four years, is in itself so improbable that less than 3 per cent of the 11,707 athletes competing in Tokyo will end up with one. Add to it the weight of expectations from an extremely proud nation starved of Olympic success, and your achievement becomes even more memorable,” Bindra wrote.

“Javelin throw might not be the most followed sporting discipline in India but your historic achievement has brought it to the limelight, capturing the imagination of billions watching at home. The impact your victory will create on promoting yoru sport amongst the country’s youth is immeasurable. You have crossed the first barrier; the gates are now firmly open,” he said, adding, “Budding Olympians will look up to you as they set out to fulfil their dreams of bringing glory to the nation.”

“Welcome to the club. It is not the most happening of places yet and needs more members, but I feel your entry is going to pave the way for many more deserving athletes,” he wrote.

He also recorded a video congratulating him.

Leander Paes, who won bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, also congratulated Chopra.

Accolades came in from sporting greats across disciplines, from Sachin Tendulkar to Sakshi Malik.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij broke out into dance upon seeing Chopra win gold, with a monstrous 87.58m throw.

P.T. Usha, who had only just missed out on breaking India’s century-long drought in winning a medal in athletics and track and field, tweeted saying Chopra had fulfilled her dream.