Paris Olympics 2024: How PT Usha, Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra are making a difference for Team India

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Paris, Jul 25: This is, indeed, a unique scenario, two famous Olympians from India, PT Usha and Gagan Narang will be keeping an eye on the athletes at Paris 2024.

After getting elected as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President, in 2022, Usha has been trying to do her best for Indian sports. Paris Olympics Special Coverage

This time, there have been several requests from athletes that they be allowed to use the services of their personal coaches and have access to top medical support staff and doctors, physios and more. All that has been provided.

"There is a big difference from my time as an athlete to now. Today, the Indian government is providing the best facilities and nothing is being left to chance. Every kind of support is being given and this access to facilities is important," says Usha.

It was her idea that a full medical team comprising top doctor, Dinshaw Pardiwala an ortho surgeon, and his team could help all athletes in their journey in Paris. There is a sleep therapist, nutritionist, physios, and mental health experts, all because of the initiative taken by Usha. In the IOA President's view, modern-day science is important for the athletes to do their best and peak on the big stage.

It is from her personal experience, that at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, Usha has been able to understand what athletes need best. Of course, she is facing an enormous challenge as an administrator due to the politics in the IOA. On almost a daily basis, Usha has to handle unreasonable demands from the other IOA officer bearers. What is important is she is not letting all the negativity affect her.

During several media interactions, Usha has spoken of how important it is to ensure athletes face no problems. Her coordination with other agencies like the Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India and National Sports Federations has been praiseworthy.

Usually, the role of Chef de Mission for the Olympics is taken very lightly. However, with Olympic bronze medallist from 2012 London, Gagan Narang being elevated as Chef de Mission, a lot has changed. Officials are usually unaware of what problems athletes face. Gagan has taken it upon himself for the second time in a row to be in a role where he can see what all happens.

At the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Gagan was hopping venues and taking particular interest in shooting. As he said on Thursday: "The shooters these days are far more hungry and want to do well at all major competitions." Gagan has been running shooting academies under the Gun For Glory banner. It is one of these academies which has produced crack rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan.

However, Gagan is not going to get into the business of predicting medals from this Olympics. He knows, his job relates to administration in a big way and taking care of any problems which crop up in the Games Village. In a way, Gagan's role is like that of an ambassador of the nation in a foreign country.

The relationship between Gagan and Usha, someone he respects highly, is important. According to well-placed sources, Usha and Gagan Narang are on the same page vis a vis the Paris Olympics. Luckily till now, there has been no negative news pertaining to India from the venues in France. It includes the shooting ranges as well, which are almost 275km away.

Indeed, for Indian sports, this is a big change, athletes in sports management and playing big roles. On Wednesday, legend Abhinav Bindra was running with the Olympic torch in Paris. Bigger than that, on August 10 he will get the Olympic Order from the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

Interesting times for Indian sports as former champions have evolved into bigger roles. The kind of respect which Bindra gets in international circles is massive.