Shooting has given him an identity but Abhinav Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, on Friday revealed that he thought of "quitting" the sport many times in the past.
"There were times when my life was full of frustrations and nervousness and I even thought of giving up the sport many times. But moral support of my parents, will power and determination helped me to pull out from the heat of those moments," Bindra said.
He said the government should lay special emphasis on "restructuring the legislatory framework" if they are to bring about a change in the country's sporting scene.
"The situation of sports management in India is improving, but we still need to cover a lot of ground in this regard. The new government should lay special emphasis on restructuring the legislatory framework in order to bring about the desired substantial change in Indian sports system," he said.
"Only then, various sports associations across the country will inculcate professionalism in the manner they conduct and govern sports," he added.
Bindra was addressing young entrepreneurs, professionals, faculty members and students at a 'Literary Talk' organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Speaking about his success mantra, Bindra stated in a CCI release: "Passion, desire and never-say-die spirit can make one achieve greatest heights of success in any field."
Recalling his days of toil, Bindra said, "Life is full of ups and downs, so one should lay focus on hard work and enjoy the journey rather than the final outcome or the medal."
"I remember undergoing rigorous practice at the age of 13. It is a never-ending hunger for achieving more and more every time that makes you a winner."
Calling failure a stepping stone towards success, he said, "Failure is always overrated in our lives, hiding the fact that it is the key to move ahead with learning. I am sure every successful athlete would have failed more than he won."
"If one doesn't stop working hard, even after failures, he/she ultimately strikes the bulls' eye. Luck is also important but it also favours the brave."
Speaking about his selection for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, he said, "Although this is my fifth Commonwealth Games, for me every game is my first game and the desire to win increases with every match I play."
Talking about his Abhinav Bindra Foundation, he said, "It works towards grassroots level development of sports in India and encourages young boys and girls to participate in sports, which will instill the spirit of sportsmanship in them, teach them life's lessons and break social and cultural barriers."
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