Despite India sending its record contingent for Olympics with 121 athletes, Indian Olympic Association president N Ramachandran was not interested in putting too much weight on the athletes' shoulders and said that qualifying in itself is difficult for Olympics.
A total of 121 athletes, including 54 women, will represent India at next months' Summer Olympics, which is one third more than the 83 athletes participated in the 2012 london Olympics.
"The contingent this time is one third more than last time and this itself proves that Indian athletes are improving. It is not just about winning medals but qualifying to participate in the Olympics itself is a huge thing," Ramachandran said during IOA's official send-off ceremony of the Indian Olympic contingent.
"If you want the athletes to do well, don't put pressure on them. Creating undue pressure only spoils their focus. So let them enjoy and give their best," he added.
Ramachandran also said that he wants the IOA to be self-dependent on the lines of the US Olympic Association. "In the next few years, I want to see the IOA to function like the US Olympic Association. In the US, the association doesn't depend on the government for funding. I don't know if it happens during my tenure or not but I want the IOA to generate its own source of funds without depending on the government. At present the total brand value of IOA is Rs 500 crore," he said.
Tennis ace Sania Mirza, shuttlers PV Sindu and Kidambi Srikanth, talented wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Babita and Sandeep Tomar and paddler Manika Batra were some of the well-known athletes present on the occasion.
Also present there at the event was IOA's Goodwill Ambassadors Salman Khan and music maestro AR Rahman.
"People have a lot of hope from this contingent, I wish you guys all the very best. I am here from Bombay to give you a send-off and respect that you deserve. I know how difficult it is to be a sportsperson and I know it because I couldn't become one," said the Sultan star. "I didn't have that much strength to become a sportsman but you guys have it and that's why you guys have qualified. Go there and give your best. Please don't come early."
Will target Final first: Dipa
Dipa Karmakar, who rocked the entire nation when she became the first Indian female gymnast to qualify for Olympics in 52 years, said her primary target at the Summer Olympics is to first reach the final round.
"My preparation is going well. I want to do well in Rio. My first target will be reach the final first," the 22-year-old from Agartala said. "I am trying to improve my score by at least 0.34 points then also it will be great. My practice is going on well and I am trying to improve on that. I'm practicing in Indira Gandhi stadium."
One of the highlights of the athletes' career so far was when she logged the highest score on a Produnova in the world: 15.300. Only two of her contemporaries have attempted the Produnova: Yamilet Pena of Dominican Republic and Fadwa Mahmoud of Egypt but none have managed to garner a high of 15.100 in a high-profile competition.
Karmakar said: "I know Produnova vault is dangerous. But I have been doing it for two years. You have to take a little risk trying to do something. Since 2014, I have been doing it and I will try to do better at Olympics."
Karmakar, who will be leaving for the Games in Rio on 29th July, will be participating in four events at the Brazilian capital — Vaulting horse, balancing beam and floor exercise and uneven bar.
Dipa also said that she will try to spread the reach of the sport in the country.