Rio de Janeiro: A record number of 53 out of 86 Indian sportspersons will make their debut in the Individual events at the 31st Olympic Games starting here from August 5.
Although 120 sports persons had qualified to represent India in this edition of he Games, the participation of two athletes -Inder Jeet Singh and Dharmbir Singh is in doubt as they have not been not been cleared of the dope charges.
The list also does not includes 32 hockey players (16 men and 16 women) and is relevant only for the Individual event.
The fact that 64 percent are debutants will showcase their wares in the Individual events is a remarkable achievement in itself.
The debutants include 2 archers, 21 athletes, 4 shuttlers, ,3 golfers 8 shooters, 6 wrestlers, 2 swimmers, 2 weightlifters 1 juduko,1 rower 1 paddler 1 tennis player and 1 Gymnast.
Among these debutants, the spotlight will be on Shuttler P.V.Sindhu Shooters Ritu Raj, Miraj Khan Apurvi Chandela, Gymnast Deepa Karmarkar , Wrestler Sandeep Tomar and athletes Lalita Babbar and Ankit Sharma.
Even if these debutants make it to the final round or finish among the top six, it will be a great boost for the sports in India.
The debutants
Archery
Atanu Das (West Bengal)
Best : Mixed Silver, Archery World Cup 2016
Laxmi Rani Manjhi (Jharkhand)
Best Silver, 2015 World Archery Championships
Athletics
Dutee Chand (Odisha) 100m
Best :: 11.24 seconds (National record)
After winning a CAS case for gender discrimination, the 100m sprinter broke her own national record to qualify for Rio.
Sbrani Nanda (Odisha) 200m
Best : 23.07 seconds
Lalita Babar (Maharashtra) 3000m
Best :: 9:27:09 minutes
Medal Tally: Silver 2014 Asian Games
Nirmala Sheoran (Haryana) 400 m~ 4 x 400m relay
Best Performance: 51.48 sec
Kavita Raut (Maharashtra) Marathon
Best :: 2:38:38 minutes
Medal Tally: Silver, 10,000m 2010 Asian Games
First Indian woman to win a track medal -bronze - at the CWG.
OP Jaisha (Kerala)Marathon
Best : 2:34:43 hours (National record)
Medal : Two bronze, 2006 Asian Games (5000m), 2014 Asian Games (1500m)
Khushbir Kaur (Punjab) 20 km racewalk
Best: 1:33:07 hours (National record)
Medal : Silver, 2014 Asian Games
Sapna Punia (Rajasthan) 20 km racewalk
Best : 1:35:36 hours
Manpreet Kaur (Punjab)Shot put
Best : 17.96 m (National record)
Muhammad Anas (Kerala)400m
Best : 45.40 seconds (National record)
Jinson Johnson (Kerala) 800m
Best Performance: 1:45.98 minutes
Ankit Sharma (Madhya Pradesh) Long Jump
Best :: 8.19 m (National Record)
Sandeep Kumar (Haryana) 50 km walk
Best : 3:56:22 hours
Manish Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand) Men's 50 km walk
Best 3:57:11 hours
Nitendra Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand)Marathon
Best : 2:15:48 hours
T Gopi Marathon
Best : 2:16:15 hours
Kheta Ram (Rajasthan) Marathon
Best : 2:17:23 hours
Arokia Rajeev (Tamil Nadu) 4 x 400 relay
Best : 3:00.91 minutes (National Record)
Medal : Bronze, 2014 Asian Games
P Kunhu (Kerala)4 x 400 relay
Best 3:00.91 minutes (National Record)
Ayyasamy Dharun (Tamil Nadu) 4 x 400 relay
Best : 3:00.91 minutes (National Record)
Anilda Thomas (Kerala) 4 x 400 m relay
Best 52.40 sec
Badminton
PV Sindhu (Telangana)
Best :: World No. 9 (13 March, 2014)
Medal :: 4 bronze, 2014 CWG, 2014 Asian Games, 2013 AND 2014 World Championship
K Srikanth (Andhra Pradesh)
Best:: World No. 3 (4 June 2015) defeated five-time world Champion Lin Dan.
Manu Attri (Uttar Pradesh)
Best : World No.24 (2 July 2015)
Sumeedh Reddy (Telangana)
Men's doubles
Best : World No. 17 (12 December, 2015)
Judo
Avtar Singh (Punjab)
Best :round of 16 at 2014 CWG
Golf
Anirban Lahiri (Karnataka)
Best : Tied 5th, 2015 PGA Championship
SSP Chowrasia (Kolkata)
Best: Winner, 2008 Indian Masters
Aditi Ashok (Karnataka)
Best : Ranked 3rd, Rookie of the year, Ladies European Tour
Gymnastic
Deepa Karmar (Tripura)
First Indian women to qualify for the mega event.It is in this city she made the cut in the test event
Singles sculls (rowing)
Dattu Bhokanal (Maharashtra)
Best:: Silver, 2015 Asia Championship
Shooting
Jitu Rai 10m Air Pistol, 50m Air Rifle
Best : World No.1 (ISSF 10 M Air pistol), 2 (ISSF 50 M Air pistol)
Medal : Two gold, 2014 CWG (50 m), 2014 Asian Games (50 m), bronze, 2014 Asian Games (10 m Team)
Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) 25 Rapid Fire Pistol
Best : World No. 13
Medal Tally: Two gold, 2010 CWG (2), one bronze, 2010 CWG
Aupurvi Chandela (Rajasthan) 10m air rifle
Best: World No. 19
Medal Tally: Gold, 2014 CWG
Prakash Nanjappa (Karnataka) 50m Pistol
Best World No. 31(ISSF 50 m pistol)
Medal Tally: Silver, 2014 CWG, one bronze, 2014 CWG
Kynan Chenai (Telangana) Trap
Best World No. 42
Chain Singh (J&K) 10m Air Rifle
Best : World No. 27
Medal: One bronze, 2014 Asian Games
Ayonika Paul (Maharashtra) 10m Air Rifle
Best : World No. 20
Medal Tally: One silver, 2014 CWG
Mairaj Ahmed Khan (Uttar Pradesh) Skeet
Best: World No. 4
Medal One gold, 2010 CWG
Swimming:
Sajan Prakash (Kerala) 200 m butterfly
Best : 1:59.69 minutes
Shivani Kataria (Haryana) 200 m freestyle
A wildcard entrant, she is the only woman swimmer to represent India at the World Championships.
Table Tennis
Manika Batra (Delhi)
Best : World No. 143
Tennis
Prarthna Thombare (Maharashtra) Women’s doubles
Best ; World No. 208 (May 2016) Current: 210 (June 2016)
Medal : One bronze, 2014 Asian Games
Weightlifting:
Sivalingam Sathish Kumar (Tamil Nadu) 77kg
Best ;: Gold, 2014 CWG
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Manipur) Women’s 48kg
Best ; Silver, 2014 CWG
Wrestling
Sandeep Tomar (Uttar Pradesh) FS 57kg
Best : Gold at Asian Wrestling Championships
Harrdip Singh (Haryana) GR 98kg
Best:: Silver at Asian Wrestling Championships, Reached final of Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Ravindra Khatri (Haryana) GR 86kg
Khatri made the cut after his opponent, Kenzheev Zhanarbek of Kyrgyzstan, failed his drug test.
Vignesh Phtogat (Haryana) Women's 48kg
Best :: Gold, 2014 CWG, bronze, 2014 Asian Games
Shashi Malik (Haryana)Women's 58kg
Best :Silver, 2014 CWG
Babita Kumari (Haryana)Women's 55kg
Best: Gold, 2014 CWG, Silver, 2010 CWG, Bronze, 2012 World Championship