Abhinav Bindra mourns death of childhood coach

Shooter Abhinav Bindra today mourned the demise of Col JS Dhillon — a well-known name in the local shooting fraternity.

Col Dhillon was the first to train Bindra — who eventually ended up winning the first ever Olympic gold for the nation. He would train young shooters at his residence, where he developed a (10m) mini shooting range at the backyard.

In an X post, Bindra wrote, “Today, my heart is heavy. I lost my first coach, my guide and someone who believed in me long before the world knew my name. Col JS Dhillon was the person who gave me my earliest lessons, not just in shooting, but in life. He taught me perseverance when things felt difficult, discipline when I wanted to take shortcuts, and the value of hard work when results did not come immediately. A part of who I am today exists because of what he taught me in those early years.”