'We both are really working hard, and, of course there are many things on which we are focussing right now, on and off the table.'
Manav Thakkar pulled off a memorable 3-1 win over world No 33 Kao Cheng-Jui to enter the men's singles pre-quarter-finals of the Asian Table Tennis Championships.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra progressed to the women's singles quarter-finals but veterans Sharath Kamal and Gnanasekaran Sathiyan crashed out.
The sports ministry cleared the final contingent that also features 140 support staff and officials, of which 72 "have been approved at cost to the Government" to meet the "requirements" of the travelling sportspersons.
Tennis star Sania Mirza arrived at the Games Village of the Rio Olympics and so did the table tennis squad while the Indian hockey team won its practice match against Spain.
Achanta Sharath Kamal's heroics notwithstanding, the Indian men's team started their campaign on a disastrous note, losing 1-3 to Japan in a Group 'A' league match of the table tennis competition in the Asian Games.
Manika Batra won both her singles matches as the Indian women's team edged out Hungary 3-2 for its first win of the World Table Tennis Championships in Busan on Sunday.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 11, Tuesday, August 6, 2024:
All Indian athletes who've qualified for the paralympic games
Tennis ace Rohan Bopanna, hockey great P R Sreejesh and table tennis legend Sharath Kamal, are gearing up for one last hurrah at the Asian Games, starting in Hangzhou, from September 23.
Following is India's schedule on Monday, Day 10 of the Paris Olympics
Indian women thrashed Spain 3-0 to win a promotion to the first division of the next edition of World Team Table Tennis championship.
A look at India's schedule at the Paris Olympics on Monday, July 29, 2024:
Manika Batra's sensational run at the Commonwealth Games culminated with a fourth medal in as many events while India emerged as the best table tennis nation with a record eight medals including three gold medals.
The Mission Olympic Cell is also considering higher incentives for retired Olympians and world-class players who want to take up coaching, in an effort to retain top talent within India.
While Indian table tennis took giant strides in the year, a star too was born with Manika Batra pocketing as many as four medals including two historic gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Women formed the core of India's stupendous day four at the 21st Commonwealth Games where a 16-year-old Manu Bhaker delivered a record-shattering shooting gold medal and the table tennis team shocked fancied defending champions Singapore to clinch the top honours for the first time in the event.
Check out Indian athletes' schedule for Thursday, August 1, Day 6 of competition
India had exceeded expectations at 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia by winning three gold, a couple of silver and three bronze medals.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 12, Tuesday, August 7, 2024:
Check out India's schedule on Day 4 of the Tokyo Olympics.
The big names who will be bidding for a podium finish before bidding farewell...
'I would like to thank the Government, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and most importantly, my family, who has been there for me and motivated me along this journey'
India held on to sixth place in the medals tally
Manika Batra could not be more thrilled about bossing the World No. 2 from China earlier this week but to beat the top-10 players more often, the Indian table tennis trailblazer knows she needs to do more on the tactical and fitness front.
40-year-old Sharath showed that age was just a number.
A seven-member team will form the Indian challenge for the May 19 to 25 event.
Saini, who had won the compound mixed team gold with Pragati, made amends in the bronze place playoff, when he beat Frenchman Victor Bouleau 148-146 to sign off with three medals (one gold, two bronze).
A look at how India's athletes fared on Day 2, on Sunday, July 28, 2024:
Olympian Achanta Sharath Kamal's impressive form helped Indian men register their second successive victory, while their women counterparts continued their dismal performance in the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Moscow on Monday.
India endured a medal-less outing at the Youth Olympics after the gold rush of the previous three days as the women's hockey team lost to Argentina and rising table tennis player Archana Kamath went down in the bronze medal match in Buenos Aires.
In para taekwondo, India will be solely represented by 21-year-old Aruna Tanwar. The Haryana-based athlete, who will participate in the women's under 49kg K44 category, will be in action on September 2 from the round-of-16 rounds.
Bhavinaben Patel became only the second Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics after she claimed a historic silver following a 0-3 loss to world number one Chinese paddler Ying Zhou in the women's singles table tennis class 4 final at the Tokyo Games on Sunday.
In a body blow to India's medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 edition by host city Glasgow, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budget-friendly.
India's gold haul from track-and-field continued at the Asian Games on Thursday, culminating in its best showing at the continental showpiece in close to seven decades. However, there was heartbreak in the hockey arena as its men's team was beaten by Malaysia in the semi-finals.
How India's athletes fared at the Paris Paralympic Games on Friday.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 5, Wednesday, July 31, 2024:
Manika Batra, on Saturday, won a first ever women's singles table tennis gold for India at the CWG
Mehuli Ghosh's effort will, however, not be considered as a world record, as the South Asian Games' results are not recognised by the international body (ISSF) for the purpose of records.
