WATCH | On India’s 79th Independence Day, Manu Bhaker plays national anthem on violin

Double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker marked India’s 79th Independence Day with a heartfelt tribute, sharing a video of herself playing the national anthem’s tune on a violin. Posting the clip on Instagram, the ace shooter wrote, “An attempt to play the tune that is closest to my heart this Independence Day. Each time I represent India, I wish to stand on the podium and listen to this. Generally, we sit and play the violin, but this time subconsciously, we stood up while playing the National Anthem. It's the admiration for our nation that cannot be put into words. Jai Hind!”

See the video here:

At the Paris Olympics last year, Bhaker scripted history by opening India’s medal tally, winning bronze in the women’s individual 10m air pistol event — becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. She followed it up with another bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event alongside Sarabjot Singh, India’s first-ever Olympic shooting team medal.

In her final event, the women’s 25m pistol, she narrowly missed a historic treble, finishing fourth. A third medal would have made her the first Indian to win three medals at a single Olympics. Her Paris success was especially sweet after a heartbreaking Tokyo 2021 campaign, where equipment malfunction derailed her medal hopes. In the 10m air pistol qualifiers, a gun malfunction cost her valuable time, leaving her 12th and out of the final. She also finished 15th in the 25m pistol and seventh in the mixed team event.

Beyond the Olympics, Bhaker has consistently brought glory to India. She struck gold in the 25m pistol team event at the 2023 Baku Shooting World Championships, adding to her silver from the 2022 edition. At the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, she clinched 10m air pistol gold, and at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she again topped the podium in the 25m pistol team event. Her career tally boasts 20 ISSF World Cup medals — 13 gold, three silver, and four bronze — alongside four Asian Championship golds, a silver, and two bronze medals.