The last few weeks have been memorable for table tennis star Achanta Sharath Kamal. India qualified for the team event of the Paris Olympic Games for the first time, becoming the first Indian to enter the last-eight stage of the Singapore Smash — a top-tier tournament in table tennis — and then being chosen to be the flag bearer of the contingent for the opening ceremony of the Paris Games to be held from July 26 to August 11.

"It's like living a dream. Everything is happening so fast that I am finding it difficult to keep pace. The Olympic Games qualification, the Singapore show and icing on the cake, being the flag bearer. Never thought it would be like this. I was the flag bearer (along with boxer Nikhat Zareen) in the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but this is a fairy tale," Sharath, 41, told The Telegraph.

Cynics raised eyebrows after his name was announced by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for the opening ceremony saying Tokyo Games gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra should have been the ideal choice. They probably wittingly overlooked the fact that the javelin champion would be in Paris only in the second week when his event starts.

This will be Sharath's fifth and final Games having started in 2004 in Athens. And the 'long-playing record' is dreaming of a Paris high in the team event.

"I have won everything in life. Asian Games medal, gold galore in Commonwealth Games, the only thing missing is an Olympic medal. And yes, winning a table tennis team medal in the Olympic Games is not impossible. The team event is a 16-team affair. One win and you are in the quarter finals. From there on, anything can happen. We have to believe in ourselves. We have to prepare hard and the luck element also will have a role to play," Sharath was bullish.

The confidence and hope come from the fact that Sharath has finally got the mojo back after a downward graph of more than one year. A commendable performance in Singapore Smash saw him jump 54 places to 34 in the world rankings. In the latest rankings, he has dropped a place. But he is still the highest-ranked Indian paddler by a distance and is set to participate in the singles event too.

Talking about the Olympic Games, Sharath's best memory is winning a game against Ma Long, the Chinese superstar who is regarded as the greatest table tennis player ever, in Tokyo in 2021. In the third round, Long won 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-4, 11-4, but the second game is what Sharath would like to remember for life.

"I was in my best shape in Tokyo despite the pandemic, ensuing lockdown and lack of competitive matches. Form-wise and physically. A year later in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, I won four medals (including three gold) but it was nowhere near the feeling I had in Tokyo. I will try to reach that stage before Paris," he promised.

As preparation, Sharath is looking at playing stints in China, South Korea, Germany and the French capital. "That's how I am planning. I would also play four to five tournaments to keep myself match-ready. It's my last and I want to do something special for my country."

Asked about how many medals India could win, he said: "It's difficult to predict in Olympic Games. A lot of factors come into play. But we could reach the double-figures for the first time." With seven medals India enjoyed their best-ever Games in Tokyo.

Someone who has seen it all in Indian sport, Sharath, who is now the vice-chairperson of IOA's athletes' commission, thinks India's consistent performance across disciplines has changed the mindset. He has a funny tale to tell on how the mindset used to work. "When I got married (in 2009), I was asked what I do for a living. People were surprised that I could earn money by playing table tennis.

"I think the success of IPL, Abhinav Bindra's gold medal win, hosting of the 2010 CWG Games and medals in the 2012 London Olympic Games helped Indian sport to grow in the last 15 years or so.

"Also post-2014, everything became more transparent and professional. Sportspersons could just focus on their preparations and tournaments knowing that the government will take care of the rest. That is very important."