Manu Bhaker Returns Home, Receives Grand Reception

Star pistol shooter Manu Bhaker landed back in the country on Wednesday after her historic feat of winning two medals in a single edition of the Olympic Games and was welcomed by hundreds of supporters and her family, who braved a steady drizzle to give her a memorable reception in New Delhi. The Air India flight (AI 142), which brought Bhaker from Paris to Delhi, landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 9:20am, delayed by one hour.

Hundreds of people, who waited at the airport long before her arrival accorded her -- and her coach Jaspal Rana -- an enthusiastic reception.

The 22-year-old Bhaker won a bronze each in the women's 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event -- where she had paired with Sarabjot Singh -- to script Olympic history for the country.

Before leaving for India, Bhaker had stated that she was looking forward to a grand welcome. The youngster was greeted with bouquets, garlands, and celebratory dhol after emerging from the airport exit. Among those present were Bhaker's parents -- Ram Kishan and Sumedha -- and sports enthusiasts and officials from her home state Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, the state to which Rana belongs. Rana's father was also there at the airport.