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India will send a contingent of 117 athletes and 140 support staff to the upcoming Paris Olympics, which will be held from July 26 to August 11. The contingent includes 29 athletes in athletics, 21 in shooting, and 19 in hockey. Other sports represented include table tennis (8), badminton (7), wrestling (6), archery (6), boxing (6), golf (4), tennis (3), swimming (2), sailing (2), equestrian (1), judo (1), rowing (1), and weightlifting (1).The contingent will be led by chef-de-mission Gagan Narang, a former Olympic bronze medalist in shooting. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has been allocated 11 contingent officials, including five medical team members, who will be accommodated in the Games Village. An additional 72 support staff, including coaches, physios, and psychologists, will be accommodated in hotels outside the Games Village at government expense.The shooting contingent, which is the second largest, consists of 11 women and 10 men. The athletics contingent includes 11 women and 18 men, while the table tennis contingent has four players in each category. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu is the lone weightlifter in the contingent and will compete in the women's 49kg category.The government has emphasized the importance of anti-doping measures and has asked the IOA and concerned federations to take appropriate steps to avoid any doping embarrassments. The Paris Organizing Committee will provide three cars for the Indian contingent without drivers, and the Indian Embassy in Paris will assist in identifying and hiring temporary drivers.

Anjum Moudgil, a former world no. 1 shooter, has overcome mental challenges to secure a berth at the Paris Olympics. After being left out of the Indian team for the Asian Games and World Championships last year, Moudgil worked on her mental toughness and focused on her training.Moudgil, who competed in two events in Tokyo, will only participate in the women's 50m 3 position in Paris. She admitted that being dropped from the team for the Worlds and Asian Games due to inconsistent form was an eye-opener."I really took advantage of quotas and trials," Moudgil said. "I was too focused and positive in giving my best in the trials. I knew my strengths and how to work under pressure, and it paid off."Moudgil emphasized the importance of mental health, noting that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has set up a Mentally Fit Helpline for athletes. "It's so important for all the federations and IOC to understand," she said. "It's important to understand the mental side, understand how it works for an athlete, understand mental toughness."India has named a strong 21-member shooting contingent for the Paris Games, including many youngsters. Moudgil is confident in the team's abilities. "All of them are confident, the team is doing very well," she said. "My expectation is for everyone to give their best, everyone going with a positive mindset."Moudgil is counting on her difficult Tokyo experience to shine in Paris. "Competing in one rather than two events both have positive and negative sides, but I am happy," she said. "The competition is very high in India and the pressure situations we face during trials will definitely help in Olympics."The shooting competitions of the Paris Olympics will be held at the National Shooting Center in Châteauroux, France. Moudgil is currently in Luxembourg for the final phase of her training before heading to France on July 21st.

Manu Bhaker, the 22-year-old pistol shooter, is preparing for her second Olympics with a renewed mindset and the guidance of her coach, Jaspal Rana. After a bitter fallout before the Tokyo Games, the duo has reconciled and is working together to achieve success in Paris.Bhaker, known for her Gen Z lingo, has matured significantly since her teenage years. She now understands the importance of not dwelling on failures or successes, recognizing that people's memories fade over time. Rana has noticed her growing maturity and believes she is more practical and calm.The relationship between Bhaker and Rana extends beyond coach and athlete. Rana serves as her mental coach, fitness coach, yoga coach, father figure, and friend. He has helped her regain her love for shooting and find peace in the foothills of Dehradun.Rana emphasizes the importance of making Bhaker an independent shooter and not overanalyzing scores or data. He believes in her abilities and encourages her to be brave and free in her approach. Bhaker credits Rana with helping her "chill" and stop working with a sports psychologist.Despite their different interests, Bhaker and Rana share a close bond. They go for walks together in the evening, where Bhaker can talk about anything she wishes. Rana provides her with the support and guidance she needs, both on and off the range.Bhaker's newfound approach is evident in her preparation for the Paris Olympics. She is determined to avoid unnecessary pressure and focus on enjoying the moment. Rana's presence at the range gives her courage and confidence.

India's Olympic journey towards Paris 2024 has begun with a promising start. The country has already secured 100 quotas across various sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling.The Tokyo Olympics saw India create history with its largest-ever contingent and its biggest medal haul in a single edition. Neeraj Chopra's historic gold in men's javelin throw was a defining moment. At Paris 2024, the focus will once again be on Chopra, who will look to defend his title.In shooting, India has secured quotas in every Olympic category for the first time. Trap shooter Prithviraj Tondaiman and women's trap shooter Rajeshwari Kumari were among the first to qualify.Athletics has also seen significant progress. Race walkers Priyanka Goswami and Akshdeep Singh became the first Indians to qualify for the event at Paris 2024. Four Indian athletes breached the qualifying standard in the men's 20km walk, with Akshdeep, Vikash, and Paramjeet Singh receiving the nod.In boxing, Jasmine Lamboria secured the quota in the women's 57kg category. Renowned sports medicine expert Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala has assured that all athletes are in prime condition for the Olympics.The complete list of Indian athletes who have qualified for Paris 2024 so far includes:* Archery: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, Pravin Jadhav, Bhajan Kaur, Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat* Athletics: Akshdeep Singh, Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht, Priyanka Goswami, Avinash Sable, Parul Chaudhary, Jyothi Yarraji, Kiran Pahal, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Abha Khatua, Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena, Annu Rani, Sarvesh Kushare, Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, Santhosh Tamilarasan, Rajesh Ramesh, Mijo Chaco Kurian, Vidhya Ramaraj, Jyothika Sri Dandi, MR Poovamma, Subha Venkatesan, Prachi, Priyanka Goswami/Suraj Panwar* Badminton: H.S Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, P.V Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Ashwini Ponappa, Tanisha Crasto* Boxing: Nikhat Zareen, Amit Phangal, Nishant Dev, Preeti Pawar, Lovlina Borgohain, Jaismine Lamboria* Equestrian: Anush Agarwalla* Golf: Subhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar* Hockey: P.R Sreejesh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rogidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gujrant Singh* Judo: Tulika Mann* Rowing: Balraj Panwar* Sailing: Vishnu Saravanan, Nethra Kumanan* Shooting: Prithviraj Tondaiman, Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh, Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan, Anantjeet Singh Naruka/Maheshwari Chauhan, Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta, Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita Jindal, Swapnil Kusale, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil, Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan, Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal, Arjun Cheema, Sarabjot Singh, Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwam, Vijayveer Sidhu, Anish Bhanwala, Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, Sarabjot Singh/Manu Bhakar, Arjun Cheema/Rhythm Sangwam* Swimming: Dhinidhi Desinghu, Srihari Nataraj* Table Tennis: Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, Archana Kamath* Tennis: Sumit Nagal, Rohan Bopanna, Sriram Balaji* Weightlifting: Mirabai Chanu* Wrestling: Aman Sehrawat, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Nisha Dahiya, Reetika Hooda, Antim Phangal

The Indian sporting landscape is witnessing a growing trend of elite athletes opting for personalized training under personal coaches, breaking away from the traditional national set-up. This shift is evident across various sports, including shooting, wrestling, athletics, table tennis, badminton, and boxing.Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu, and world championship medalist Vinesh Phogat are among the prominent athletes who have embraced this approach. With government and sponsors providing financial support, more athletes are hiring personal trainers and physiotherapists to tailor their training programs.Dronacharya awardee badminton coach Vimal Kumar believes this shift is a sign of Indian sport's growth. However, he emphasizes that top athletes should invest their own resources in support staff rather than relying on government funds.In shooting, the trend has been particularly noticeable. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has allowed personal coaches to accompany their trainees at camps ahead of the Olympics. Former shooting international Deepali Deshpande, who has worked with both national and personal coaches, highlights the importance of providing support for athletes who may not make the national team.Wrestling has also seen a shift towards personalized training, with elite wrestlers opting to train at their academies in the absence of national camps. Star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have achieved success with personal coaches since 2018, inspiring others to follow suit.In table tennis, the friction between personal and national coaches flared up at the Tokyo Games. However, Italian coach Massimo Costantini has been roped in ahead of the Paris Olympics and has welcomed the presence of personal coaches.Badminton shuttlers, including Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, PV Sindhu, and Lakshya Sen, are also working under personalized training plans.While personal coaches provide individualized attention and tailored training programs, national coaches play a crucial role in preparing athletes for team events and providing guidance during competitions. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has identified "medal hopefuls" who will be allowed to bring personal coaches and support staff to the Paris Olympics, subject to availability of slots.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics marked a turning point for Indian sports, thanks to the remarkable achievement of Abhinav Bindra. Despite the absence of the men's hockey team for the first time since 1928 and the doping bans that decimated the weightlifting contingent, India found a beacon of hope in Bindra.Bindra's gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle was not a stroke of luck but the culmination of meticulous preparation. Having finished seventh at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Bindra spent years honing his skills in Germany under the guidance of renowned coaches. He underwent rigorous training, including commando exercises, to overcome his stage fright.During the qualification round, Bindra sailed through with a score of 596, while his compatriot Gagan Narang narrowly missed out. However, in the finals, Bindra faced a setback during sighting time when his gun sight malfunctioned. With quick thinking, he made adjustments and regained his composure.Throughout the finals, Bindra displayed unwavering calmness, consistently shooting 10s and above. Finland's Henri Häkkinen kept pace until the final shot, but his 9.7 score fell short of Bindra's near-perfect 10.8. The Indian finished with a total score of 700.5, securing the gold medal.Bindra's victory was a watershed moment for Indian sports. It shattered the perception that India could not compete at the highest level in shooting. His gold medal inspired a new generation of athletes, including javelin star Neeraj Chopra, who became India's first-ever gold medallist in athletics at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

As the scorching Indian summer subsides, India's elite shooters embark on a crucial stage of their Olympic preparations at the ISSF World Cup (Pistol/Rifle) in Munich, Germany, commencing on Saturday.Despite the grueling month-long trials in New Delhi and Bhopal, several shooters initially expressed reluctance to participate in the World Cup, citing fatigue and a desire to focus on their Olympic preparations. However, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) made participation mandatory and reportedly resolved the contentious issue of personal coaches, paving the way for the Paris-bound marksmen to gauge their progress.The issue of personal coaches had been a major point of contention, with shooters seeking greater flexibility in their training arrangements. While the matter appears to have been temporarily resolved, many personal coaches will not accompany their wards to Munich due to the late notice.The World Cup will also serve as a litmus test for shooters who have displaced the original Paris quota winners in the national squad through a series of Olympic Selection Trials (OSTs). The federation will be keen to assess the performances of these shooters, including rookie Army man Sandeep Singh, who has emerged as a surprise contender in the 10m air rifle event.The NRAI faces a dilemma in selecting the Paris-bound team, as it must strictly adhere to its Olympic selection policy based on the OSTs. However, several Olympic quota winners who lost out to their compatriots during the trials have appealed to be considered for Paris, creating an unprecedented situation.The NRAI is expected to announce the Olympic contingent during the World Cup, a process that has been delayed. This delay has hindered shooters' ability to fine-tune their preparations, including critical ammunition testing.The World Cup in Munich provides an opportunity for shooters to connect with European manufacturers and test the ammunition they intend to use at the Olympics. The event will commence with men's and women's 10m air rifle, with the finals scheduled for Monday.

Former Indian shooting ace Jaspal Rana has vehemently criticized the National Rifle Association of India's (NRAI) decision to send Olympic-bound shooters to the World Cup in Munich, commencing on Friday. Rana, an Asian Games gold medalist, questioned the rationale behind selecting Olympic-bound shooters for the World Cup just before the quadrennial event.Rana emphasized that the World Cup will not benefit shooters in their Olympic preparations, as it is challenging to maintain peak performance for an extended period. "No player wants to perform badly in the World Cup. But if you're at your peak now, will you be at your peak after one month also? Which sports science center will tell you that players can stay at their peak for three months? You can't stay at peak level for long," Rana asserted.He further criticized the NRAI's inconsistent policy, stating, "The policy was wrong, and when you've made the policy, just stick to it. You're not sticking to your policy. If there is no ranking and point system in the Munich World Cup, why are you delaying the names of the selected shooters for the Olympics? Even if you have to adjust one to two players, then reveal the rest of the players so that they can start their preparations."Rana suggested that India should have followed the approach adopted by other countries like China and the USA, who have sent their second-string squads to the World Cup in Germany. "Other countries have sent their B or C category squad for the World Cup. Very less Olympic-bound shooters will participate in it. This is not an opportunity for the Olympic team," he said.With less than two months remaining for the Paris Olympics, there is still no clarity on India's shooting squad for the event. Rana expressed concern about the lack of leadership within the NRAI, stating, "I've failed to understand that if NRAI doesn't have the president, chairman of the selection committee, and policy-making committee, then how are they selecting the team? It could be one of the reasons that the chairman of the NRAI selection committee is not there, that's why they're delaying the announcement."Despite the challenges, Rana remains optimistic about the Indian shooters' performance in Paris. "Yes, we were well prepared last time. This time too, our preparations are pretty well. The only thing that went wrong last time was the postponement of the Games due to Covid-19. Our team was at its peak at the time of the Olympics (as per the original schedule in 2020). After that, due to a lot of problems, we couldn't manage it properly," he said. "I'm quite positive," Rana added, expressing his belief in India's medal chances at the Paris Olympics.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is seeking clarification from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) regarding the rules for mixed team events at the upcoming Paris Olympics. This clarification could potentially impact India's Olympic selection process.NRAI has conducted four rounds of Olympic Selection Trials (OST) to select the shooting team, but the final squad announcement is pending. The trials produced some unexpected results, with 2022 World Champion Rudrankksh Patil finishing third in the 10m air rifle event, behind Sandeep Singh and Arjun Babuta.According to NRAI's selection policy, the top two shooters in the trials automatically qualify for the Olympics. However, for mixed team events, the ISSF rule for Paris Olympics states that if the number of mixed teams entered exceeds the available firing points, the Qualification Ranking for Olympic Games (QROG) will be used to determine the final entry list.The QROG considers the combined points of both members of the mixed team in their respective individual events. Rudrankksh currently ranks second in the QROG for 10m air rifle, while Babuta is 33rd and Singh is 48th. This means that Rudrankksh, who did not qualify for the Olympics individually, could have a better chance of qualifying for the mixed team event based on his QROG ranking.NRAI has sought clarification on the number of mixed teams that will be selected and the criteria that will be followed. The association has also issued fresh Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for personal coaches who wish to accompany their wards during training in the lead-up to the Olympics.