In 1998, India woke up to the startling news of a successful nuclear test at Pokhran.

It stirred the collective psyche of a nation, energized people at a deeply primal level, instilled a sense of pride and shared achievement.

We were a global super-power.

Today morning, the country awakens with a surge of new found energy, hope and ambition, thanks to the amazing exploit of a young Chandigarh sportsman.

His name is Abhinav Bindra. He won the first ever individual Gold medal at the Olympic Games by an Indian.

By hitting a bull’s eye in his final shot, Bindra fired his way into every Indian’s heart and mind… and etched himself an unforgettable spot in history.

The impression of a boy next door, casually explaining away his exciting and inspiring triumph, created a mental picture EVERYONE could identify with - and imagine becoming a part of.

Just as Ramanathan Krishnan did by taking the Junior Wimbledon championship, just as Viswanathan Anand did while putting India on the world map in chess, Bindra’s accomplishment in the 2008 Beijing Olympic games will charge and stimulate thousands of young people to reach for their dreams - and do it feeling more confident, certain and comfortable that they too have a chance.

That achievement means more, on the whole, to a nation of 1.2 billion people, whose biggest hurdle is the choking self-limitation often inbuilt in the middle-class psyche, a suffocating sense of “I don’t think I can…”

It’s more than just a gold medal on a ribbon worn by the man India is most proud of today. It’s the beacon of hope and inspiration that thousands, if not millions, will aspire for - and therefore achieve.

Bindra, you have helped shift the paradigm of a nation.