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<p><span><strong>Srihari Nataraj</strong></span><strong>, 23</strong></p><p><strong>Sport:</strong> Swimming (Men&rsquo;s 100m Backstroke)</p><p><strong>Achievement:</strong> Broke three national records, including the 200m freestyle mark, at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year</p><p><strong>How he qualified:</strong> Through the Universality quota that is handed out to National Olympic Committees when they don&rsquo;t have any qualified athletes or relay teams</p><div class="itemcenter"><amp-iframe height="62" title="" width="320" sandbox="allow-forms allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-top-navigation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" allowfullscreen src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014%5Cu0026native%3D1" class="mrBt15 preferred-source-banner"> </amp-iframe></div></p><p><span><span><strong><span>T</span></strong></span></span>hrough most of June 23, Srihari Nataraj had one eye glued to a computer screen. Over in Canada, another Indian swimmer, Aryan Nehra, was participating at the Mel Zajac Jr International. By the end of it, Aryan had clinched two silver medals, but failed to collect adequate points to get past Srihari&rsquo;s tally of the Olympic qualification cycle from March 2023 to June 2024. Two days later, Srihari had the confirmation that he was going to his second consecutive Olympic Games.</p><p>The Bengaluru athlete&rsquo;s best swim came at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, last September, where he lost out on a medal in the 100-metre backstroke final by a few milliseconds. More significantly, he got within touching distance of the Olympic qualification timing, missing it by an even smaller margin. Yet, there were a lot of positives he returned home with. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the first time I got so close to a medal—it happened at the World Junior Championships in 2019 and then the Commonwealth Games in 2022. The Asian Games taught me to manage myself better amid a busy schedule,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I was part of four individual events, where I made two finals, and four relays, so I had 10 races where I put in my best effort. Of course, it would have been great to be a lot quicker.&rdquo;</p><div data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="ac787ff3-b5a4-415b-99fe-409d99d7fc74" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><article class="media media--type-ckeditor-image media--view-mode-image">
  
      
            <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item">  <amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Findiatoday%2Fstyles%2Fmedium_crop_simple%2Fpublic%2F2024-07%2Fsrihari_2.jpg%3FVersionId%3Dd6hXIZavHByanHjJ0PrDQENXr00Xnxec%5Cu0026size%3D750:*" alt="" height="500" width="770" class="image-style-medium-crop-simple" layout="responsive"></amp-img>


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</div></p><p>That mark of 54.48 seconds at the Asian Games would be his fastest time on the 100-metre backstroke during the Olympic qualification period. Consistent performances ensured that he eventually made it to the Games, this time around through the Universality quota. Tokyo, though, was a lot different, where he made the &lsquo;A&rsquo; standard qualification timing during an out-of-competition trial to ensure a direct entry. &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t really matter how I got there. I&rsquo;m in the best shape that I&rsquo;ve ever been and it&rsquo;s all a matter of clicking on that day and executing things well,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;The Olympics is just another meet where the goal is to swim the best race I can.&rdquo;</p><p>Srihari comes from a family of cricketers and started playing multiple sports while growing up in Bengaluru. Swimming became a priority once he turned 16 and he has represented India at the World Championships besides other multi-sport events. He capped off the National Games last year with 10 medals (eight gold, a silver and a bronze) across backstroke and freestyle events, earning the &lsquo;Best Male Athlete&rsquo; title.</p><p>However, he will not be the lone Indian representative in the pool in Paris. Dhinidhi Desinghu, all of 14, also made the cut through the Universality quota in the 200-metre freestyle event. A two-member contingent in an Olympic discipline that doles out as many as 35 medals demonstrates how far behind India is in this sport dominated by the US, Australia, China, Canada, Great Britain and France. &ldquo;Swimming is growing on the whole. But we cannot expect things to change overnight,&rdquo; says Srihari. Over the past few weeks, he has been fine-tuning his skills under coach Nihar Ameen in Bengaluru to save those precious milliseconds that he&rsquo;s now all too familiar with. The target is to get a personal best, which he believes will be good enough to get him a spot in the semis. That alone will be a massive first for Indian swimming.</p><div id="lrcmtcont"></div><div class="end_story">- Ends</div><div class="dottedimg"></div><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Aditya Mohan Wig</div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Jul 19, 2024</div></div></div>

cover-story

Cover Story

India@Paris2024

<p><span style="color:#c0392b;"><strong>Srihari Nataraj</strong></span><strong>, 23</strong></p><p><strong>Sport:</strong> Swimming (Men&rsquo;s 100m Backstroke)</p><p><strong>Achievement:</strong> Broke three national records, including the 200m freestyle mark, at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year</p><p><strong>How he qualified:</strong> Through the Universality quota that is handed out to National Olympic Committees when they don&rsquo;t have any qualified athletes or relay teams</p><div class="itemcenter"><iframe scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="62" awidth="320" aheight="62" amplayout="fixed" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014" class="preferred-source-banner" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><style>.preferred-source-banner{  margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}</style></p><p><span style="color:#c0392b;"><span style="font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: 58px;">T</span></strong></span></span>hrough most of June 23, Srihari Nataraj had one eye glued to a computer screen. Over in Canada, another Indian swimmer, Aryan Nehra, was participating at the Mel Zajac Jr International. By the end of it, Aryan had clinched two silver medals, but failed to collect adequate points to get past Srihari&rsquo;s tally of the Olympic qualification cycle from March 2023 to June 2024. Two days later, Srihari had the confirmation that he was going to his second consecutive Olympic Games.</p><p>The Bengaluru athlete&rsquo;s best swim came at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, last September, where he lost out on a medal in the 100-metre backstroke final by a few milliseconds. More significantly, he got within touching distance of the Olympic qualification timing, missing it by an even smaller margin. Yet, there were a lot of positives he returned home with. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the first time I got so close to a medal—it happened at the World Junior Championships in 2019 and then the Commonwealth Games in 2022. The Asian Games taught me to manage myself better amid a busy schedule,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I was part of four individual events, where I made two finals, and four relays, so I had 10 races where I put in my best effort. Of course, it would have been great to be a lot quicker.&rdquo;</p><div data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="ac787ff3-b5a4-415b-99fe-409d99d7fc74" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"><article class="media media--type-ckeditor-image media--view-mode-image">
  
      
            <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item">  <div class="itgimage"><img  height="500"  title=""  width="770"  class="image-style-medium-crop-simple" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Findiatoday%2Fstyles%2Fmedium_crop_simple%2Fpublic%2F2024-07%2Fsrihari_2.jpg%3FVersionId%3Dd6hXIZavHByanHjJ0PrDQENXr00Xnxec%5Cu0026size%3D750:*" loading="lazy" /></div>


</div>
      
  </article>
</div></p><p>That mark of 54.48 seconds at the Asian Games would be his fastest time on the 100-metre backstroke during the Olympic qualification period. Consistent performances ensured that he eventually made it to the Games, this time around through the Universality quota. Tokyo, though, was a lot different, where he made the &lsquo;A&rsquo; standard qualification timing during an out-of-competition trial to ensure a direct entry. &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t really matter how I got there. I&rsquo;m in the best shape that I&rsquo;ve ever been and it&rsquo;s all a matter of clicking on that day and executing things well,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;The Olympics is just another meet where the goal is to swim the best race I can.&rdquo;</p><p>Srihari comes from a family of cricketers and started playing multiple sports while growing up in Bengaluru. Swimming became a priority once he turned 16 and he has represented India at the World Championships besides other multi-sport events. He capped off the National Games last year with 10 medals (eight gold, a silver and a bronze) across backstroke and freestyle events, earning the &lsquo;Best Male Athlete&rsquo; title.</p><p>However, he will not be the lone Indian representative in the pool in Paris. Dhinidhi Desinghu, all of 14, also made the cut through the Universality quota in the 200-metre freestyle event. A two-member contingent in an Olympic discipline that doles out as many as 35 medals demonstrates how far behind India is in this sport dominated by the US, Australia, China, Canada, Great Britain and France. &ldquo;Swimming is growing on the whole. But we cannot expect things to change overnight,&rdquo; says Srihari. Over the past few weeks, he has been fine-tuning his skills under coach Nihar Ameen in Bengaluru to save those precious milliseconds that he&rsquo;s now all too familiar with. The target is to get a personal best, which he believes will be good enough to get him a spot in the semis. That alone will be a massive first for Indian swimming.</p><div id="lrcmtcont"></div><div class="end_story">- Ends</div><div class="dottedimg"></div><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Aditya Mohan Wig</div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Jul 19, 2024</div></div></div>

Last year, Nataraj broke three national records, including the 200m freestyle mark, at the Asian Games in Hangzhou

India Today

Srihari Nataraj | Hoping to make a splash - India Today

Srihari Nataraj | Hoping to make a splash

India is strategically positioned to engage with the United States under a potential second Trump presidency, maintaining strength without compromising global institutions. Political risk expert Ian Bremmer highlights India's unique partnership with Washington and its capacity to navigate complex international dynamics confidently.

Ian Bremmer said India remains a “partner and friend” of the United States.

Ian Bremmer said India remains a “partner and friend” of the United States.Ian Bremmer said India remains a “partner and friend” of the United States.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s election campaign in Kerala and Tamil Nadu with back-to-back rallies, highlighting alliance unity ahead of the Assembly elections.


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Twenty people, including women and children, were left stranded 75 feet above the ground after an amusement ride malfunctioned at an exhibition held at Codissia Grounds in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore. The incident occurred on Tuesday night when around 20 visitors, including three children, were stuck on the ride, prompting police and the Fire and Rescue Department to respond. Using a sky lift vehicle, the rescue team worked for roughly 45 minutes to safely bring everyone down. The incident has raised safety concerns, following a similar case in Chennai last year where visitors were left stranded on an amusement ride, highlighting the need for periodic inspections and strict safety checks of such attractions.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night when around 20 visitors, including three children, were stuck on the ride, prompting police and the Fire and Rescue Department to respond.

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This report examines the tragic death of Yuvraj Mehta, a Noida-based techie who drowned after his car sank into a flooded basement. The bulletin features harrowing footage showing the victim using his mobile phone light to signal rescuers for over two hours. The transcript highlights a 'completely botched up rescue operation' where workers were heard asking the victim to 'hang on' and 'try harder' despite lacking essential equipment like boats or steamers. The discussion points out that the basement was allegedly dug illegally, leading to a fresh FIR against the builder by the Noida Police. Criticism is directed at the delayed response, noting that the District Magistrate, Medha Rupam, visited the site four days later and the vehicle was recovered only after three days. The segment questions the professional standards of the fire department and police during the crisis, emphasizing the plight of a man aware of his impending drowning while rescuers remained ill-equipped on the sidelines.

Noida Techie Death: Final Moments Of Yuvraj Mehta Caught On Camera

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On this Special Report, India Today’s Ashraf Wani provides details on a tragic road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district. An army vehicle carrying approximately 20 soldiers skidded off a treacherous mountain road and plunged into a 200-foot deep gorge near the Bhaderwah-Chamba link road. The reporter confirms the heavy toll, stating, '10 army jawans have lost their lives' in the mishap. The soldiers were reportedly en route to join an ongoing anti-terror operation in the nearby Kishtwar district when the accident occurred. While 10 personnel were declared dead at the Doda hospital, seven others sustained serious injuries and are being airlifted to the Army Hospital in Udhampur for advanced treatment. Local authorities and the army have launched a probe to determine if a mechanical failure, such as a brake issue, caused the driver to lose control on the curvy, hilly terrain. Top army and police officials have reached the spot to oversee the evacuation and rescue efforts.

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Srihari Nataraj | Hoping to make a splash

Last year, Nataraj broke three national records, including the 200m freestyle mark, at the Asian Games in Hangzhou

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