India's Olympic prospects

By Indian sports writer V Krishnaswamy in Delhi

For a nation of a billion people, India has very little to boast of at the Olympic Games.

India has been the most successful nation in Olympic field hockey, winning gold no less than eight times - but not since 1980.

Hockey apart, independent India has won just three individual medals - all bronze - in wrestling, tennis and women's weightlifting.

But Athens could throw up some surprises. Here's a look at India's best prospects:

ANJALI VEDPATHAK BHAGWAT, rifle shooter

The Bombay-based Bhagwat began shooting seriously only at the age of 19.

In 2000, she became the first Indian shooter to reach the finals of the women's 10m air-rifle shooting competition in the Sydney Olympics.

In 2002, she won four gold medals at the Manchester Commonwealth Games and a year later qualified for the 2004 Athens Olympics, the first Indian to do so.

Last year in Fort Benning, she won gold in the air rifle event. She also won a gold medal in a mixed competition, where women competed alongside men.

Prospects: Currently ranked No 3 in the world, Anjali can be unbeatable. But the question is: How well can she handle the tension of an Olympic event?

RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE, shooter

A latecomer into competitive shooting, Rathore entered the limelight when he won the men's double trap at the ISSF World Cup Shooting Championships in Sydney in March 2004.

A month later, he briefly took over as world No 1 in his event.

But since then Rathore has slipped to No 3 as the UAE's Ahmed Al Makhtoum has run into form. Rathore won a bronze medal in the World Shooting Championship in Nicosia to qualify for the Athens Games.

He also won a bronze at the World Cup in Delhi and a gold medal in the Afro-Asian Games in 2003.

Prospects: Has beaten Al Makhtoum in some competitions but lacks experience. This will be Rathore's first Olympics, but he could upset the formbook and push himself into medal contention.

KUNJARANI DEVI, weightlifter

India's most successful woman weightlifter has won more than 60 medals in international competitions since 1985.

The diminutive Kunjarani, who has been training in Belarus, was overlooked for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Athens will be her first Games. She continues in the 48kg category.

She has won numerous Asian, Commonwealth and World Championship medals but her final goal is an Olympic medal.

Prospects: Ranked No 4 in the world, with lifts of around 187.5kg to 190kg. Will need to get close to 200kg for a good chance of a medal.

ANJU BOBBY GEORGE, long jumper

Last year Anju Bobby George became India's first athlete to win a medal at the Paris World Championships when she grabbed a bronze.

In 2002, she became only the fifth Indian athlete to win a Commonwealth athletics medal - after a gap of 24 years.

The Kerala-born George is trained by world record holder Mike Powell and her husband, Bobby George, a former long jumper himself.

She won her first Grand Prix gold at Qatar with a wind-aided 6.82m jump earlier this year.

Prospects: Currently among the top six in the world, George will need to go over seven metres to get a medal. She has done that in training but now needs to do it on the big stage to have a chance of winning India's first athletics medal since 1900.

LEANDER PAES & MAHESH BHUPATHI, Men's tennis

In 1999, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi became the first pair since 1952 to reach the doubles final of all four Grand Slams.

They went on to win the French Open and Wimbledon doubles titles but just ahead of the Sydney Olympics the pair split up briefly.

Though they teamed up again at the Davis Cup and the Asian Games, the break-up clearly affected their performance as they slipped from their No 1 doubles ranking.

Back together at Sydney, they lost in the second round. Now they are faced with Athens, which will be Paes' fourth Olympic Games.

He had a stunning bronze medal win in the tennis singles in the Atlanta Olympics. Together they have won three Grand Slam titles and Paes has six overall, three others being from mixed doubles.

Prospects: They have just won a title at Toronto. Both have also won doubles titles this year with other partners. Bhupathi is ranked No 5 in world and Paes No 19. They are expected to be seeded in the top eight which could help them draw easy opponents in the first few rounds.

INDIAN MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM

After six successive golds from 1928 to 1956, India's men have failed to make it to field hockey's last four since 1980.

Medal-less for 24 years, the current team has the ability to make it to the podium, but has been dogged by controversy.

A change of coach barely a month ahead of the Olympics has accompanied mixed results in the run-up to Athens, with the team losing badly in tournaments in Holland and Germany.

Prospects: Currently ranked inside the top six in the world, the team has talent and skill but needs to avoid crumbling at crunch situations.