Tokyo Olympics: I keep a symbol of India while competing, says table tennis star Manika Batra

In an interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Tokyo-bound India's ace table tennis player Manika Batra said that she likes to keep a symbol of India with her while taking part in international competitions.

Manika, who has been seen wearing nail paint based on the Indian tricolour said," When I am serving I see my left hand and I see the Indian flag on my nails which inspires me. Whenever I play for the country I try to keep some symbol of the country close to me this way."

The 26-year-old table tennis player also said that she uses dance as a stress buster.

"Everyone has their own way of relaxing. For me, dance acts as a stress buster. So whenever I go for a tournament and I have free time or come to my room after playing a match, I dance because that makes me feel good," the Delhi-born added further.

PM Modi interacted with all the athletes who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 virtually to motivate them ahead of their preparations for the mega event.

Manika qualified for the Tokyo Olympics at the Asian Olympic Qualification tournament in Doha earlier this year in March. She won two golds, a silver and a bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and won bronze at the 2018 Asian Games. She became the only Indian to receive the ITTF's Breakthrough Star Award in December that year.

Dutee Chand: Want to show no woman is less or weak

Meanwhile, India's star sprinter Dutee Chand told PM Modi that she wants to show everyone that Indian women are not less or weaker than anyone and that the country will progress only when its women prosper.

"I have three sisters and one brother and people used to tell my mother why she was giving birth to so many girls. We had little food to eat and my father's income was also very low. I was thinking if I play well I can get a good job in the government sector.

Now I have managed to get a good life for my family and I would like to thank you and everyone who has helped me to achieve that. There has always been controversy in my life. There have been a lot of challenges I had to overcome to get here," Dutee told PM Modi during the virtual interaction on Tuesday.

The Tokyo Games, which are due to begin on July 23, will be Dutee's second appearance at the Olympics. At Rio 2016 Olympics, she became only the third Indian woman to participate in the Women's 100 metres, though she did not go beyond the heats, where she clocked 11.69 seconds.

"This will be my second Olympics. I just want to show that no woman is less or weak in India. Women will progress and will bring pride to the country, this is what I want to show and I want to win a medal for this country," the 25-year-old athlete said further.

The Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. India will be sending its largest contingent of 120 competitors to these Games: 67 men and 53 women.