After the Rio Olympics, he got inspired to try his hand at pistol shooting.
In 2021, she completed her BA (Hons) degree in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College.
The 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off on July 26 and thanks to Manu Bhaker, India has already made its mark. The 22-year-old athlete from Haryana has become the first Indian woman to win a bronze medal in the air pistol event at these historic Games. But apart from her achievements in sports, Manu’s education is also impressive.
Manu Bhaker hails from Jhajjar, Haryana and has been fond of sports since childhood. In her school days, she participated in many sports including tennis, skating and boxing. The special thing is that she has also participated at the national level in Thang-Ta martial arts. She completed her schooling from Universal Public Senior Secondary School, Jhajjar and then pursued higher education from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi. In 2021, she earned a BA (Hons) degree in Political Science. Currently, she is pursuing her studies in Public Administration at Punjab University.
The Olympics website states that Manu’s interest in shooting was sparked after the Rio Olympics in 2016. Inspired by the event, she asked her father for a sports shooting pistol after just a week of practice. Her father Ram Krishna Bhaker, an engineer in the Merchant Navy, immediately supported her new passion by providing the necessary equipment.
Apart from her sports and education, Manu Bhaker has many hobbies, including music, reading, painting, sketching, dancing, and solving puzzles. Her talent and dedication have earned her several awards, including the Arjuna Award in 2020 and the Best Young Athlete Award in 2019. She also had the honour of being India’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Manu’s commitment to the sport is clearly visible in her rigorous training routine. According to an Economic Times report, she practices for five hours a day. Her routine includes yoga and meditation as well as regular gym workouts five days a week.
