"India is cheering for you" - Sachin Tendulkar on his meeting with double-Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar recently met 22-year-old shooter Manu Bhaker and her parents. Bhaker grabbed headlines with her inspired show at the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024, winning two bronze medals.

Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to clinch an Olympic medal after securing a podium finish in the 10 meter air pistol event. She clinched another bronze medal at the 10 meter air pistol mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh.

The talented youngster shared a post on her official Instagram handle on Friday, August 30, to share her excitement about meeting Tendulkar. She captioned the post:

"The one and only Sachin Tendulkar sir! Feeling blessed to share this special moment with the cricketing icon! His journey motivated me and many of us to chase our dreams. Thank you sir for unforgettable memories! 🙌🏏."

Commenting on the aforementioned post, Tendulkar mentioned that meeting Bhaker and her family was very special to him. The 'Master Blaster' also commended the shooter, hailing her as an inspiration for young girls.

Tendulkar wrote:

"Meeting you and your family was truly special, Manu. Your success story is now a source of inspiration for young girls everywhere to dream big and achieve their targets. Keep striving for excellence and setting new benchmarks—India is cheering for you!"

It is worth mentioning that Manu Bhaker is the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in the same edition of the Olympics.

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"It would be an honor - When Manu Bhaker expressed her desire to meet Sachin Tendulkar

During a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, Manu Bhaker was asked to name a sports with star whom she would want to spend a day. She named Indian cricketing icons Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni as her favourites.

She suggested that spending even an hour with the legends would be an honor for her. Bhaker stated that Jamaican runner Usain Bolt has also been an inspiration in her journey.

Bhaker said:

"Maybe I'll name a few of my favourites. Usain Bolt is one of them - I've read his book so many times and I've known his journey as well as I've watched so many of his interviews too. And then, in India, cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Dhoni sir (MS Dhoni), and Virat Kohli. It would be an honor to spend even an hour with any of them!"

Manu Bhaker earned widespread appreciation for her performances at the Paris Olympics 2024. She received a reward of ₹5 crore from the Haryana government, while the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports rewarded her with a cash prize of ₹30 lakh.