His grandfather was among those who lost their lives during the devastating second wave of COVID-19 in India and doubles badminton player Chirag Shetty says it was his Olympic dream that helped him break away from the grief.

During a four-day break from training in Mumbai in April, Chirag lost his maternal grandfather to COVID-19, which also infected his uncle and none could attend the funeral. “It was a difficult phase,” the shuttler, who will leave for Tokyo on Saturday with the first batch of the Indian contingent, recalled.