Maru Bhaker INDIA'S SHOOTING STAR

Cosmo India Editor Pratishtha Dobhal talks to the extraordinary Olympian Manu on sacrifices, perseverance, and how she's never scared of circumstances or even outcomes.

- Pratishtha Dobhal

What do you say to a young Olympic medallist who has made history and is intentional in everything she sets her mind on-when you first meet her after her glorious win? Of course, congratulating Manu Bhaker, the professional shooter who is the first Indian woman to win two bronze medals one in individual and the other in mixed-at the Olympics (Paris 2024), is the first rule of engagement. But it doesn't seem enough, for you know she has inspired an entire generation on a global arena, as you watched her from afar and cheered for her along with your country women and men.

My team waited in anticipation as Manu made her way to her first Cosmopolitan India cover shoot. After the one-and-a-half hours we had with her, each one of us came out in awe. Open to the steady stream of ideas that was being shared with her, the chatty and incredibly charming Manu-despite her packed schedule and commitments that followed on a working Sunday-brought with her a calming energy on set. A far cry from the notion people have about Gen-Z (who are overstimulated by too much going on, all at once), Manu was receptive, mindful, and unaffected by her epoch-making win in Paris. The athlete who cemented a place in history casually told me she had gone for a 5km run at two in the morning before our scheduled shoot at 10:30am.

Even before her extraordinary win, the 22-year-old Manu had secured a place in the league of extraordinary athletes she became the first Indian woman to qualify for three finals in shooting. For those following her quiet dedication and perseverance since 2018, when she won gold at the 10m Air Pistol at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Manu's pioneering feat was only a matter of time.

With 15 minutes allotted for our Zoom interview, Manu gave us a candid insight into her life so far-her playlist, her unwavering allegiance to excellence in shooting, her dreams, and vision for her future. Excerpts from the interview...