You're our only hope, fans tell Rathore

Beating drums and waving placards, hundreds of fans of RVS Rathore gathered to give him a grand welcome on Saturday.

Beating drums, waving placards and sometimes dancing merrily, hundreds of fans of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore gathered to give him a grand welcome on Saturday as he brought home India's only Olympic silver medal.

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"You are our champion," said one banner. "Rathore, the Raja (king) of India - we are mad about you," screamed another as the people danced splashing the puddles left from overnight rain at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the capital.

Rathore won the silver medal at the Athens Olympics in the double trap shooting event, a tiny beacon of hope amid the an Indian contingent marred by failure, injury and drug scandals.

As the six foot something tall army major walked into the airport from the tarmac, flanked by Sports Minister Sunil Dutt and scores of security men, dozens of people flung themselves on him.

"Please shake hands with us," said one man. "You are our only hope."

Wearing the blue blazer, blue shirt and gray trouser uniform of India, Rathore walked into the arms of people who, moments before were standing in neat rows, but lunged and grabbed at him as he drew near.

"All I want do to is to just touch him," said one man, who said he had been waiting for three hours to catch a glimpse of the ace shooter.