BollyParty

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan said shooter Abhinav Bindra's triumph at the Beijing Olympics on Monday, which gave India its first individual gold ever at the Games, was a "glorious" gift.

Bachchan, in Chicago for his 'Unforgettable' concert tour, said Bindra's win in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Olympics was a matter of pride for Indians.

"Fantastic news…What a glorious gift for every Indian. Just finished our show in Chicago to a rousing reaction but nothing can top this news," the 65-year-old actor said in a text message.

Despite a population of around 1.1 billion people, India had only won four individual medals, none of them gold, since sending their first team to the Summer Games in 1928.

Actor Rahul Bose said the elusive gold medal had come with "perfect timing" for India.

"We've been going through some tough times, with the bombings in Ahmedabad and the Kashmir issue, but Abhinav Bindra has brought a smile to all of our faces," Bose said.