After two consecutive years on the winning national championship team, gymnast Mohini Bhardwaj is all set to begin training for the next Olympic. "Most girls retire at my age but I have accomplished everything I wanted to except be an Olympian," Bhardwaj says. She already has a distinguished resume. The 23-year-old is the first college gymnast to perform a double off the uneven bars. In 1997, she finished fifth in vault at the world championships-the highest individual finish for the US. She is also the current US vault champion and oldest gymnast ever to win an event title. Standing at 4 ft-10 inches, Bhardwaj has her career mapped out: after the Olympics, she will either be an agent or a lawyer for other young gymnasts, or a coach-but that's last on her list. "Gymnastics has been my life for the past 18 years. I have been through it all, I can teach, help and advise others," she explains.

-Sonia Chopra

Right Portent

LOOKING AHEAD: Achuthan (left) and Banerji

When Lakshman Achuthan and Anirvan Banerji of the Economic Cycles Research Institute prophesied in March that the US was sliding into a recession, no one took them seriously. Nine months, 9/11 and thousands of lay-offs later, a recession is all too obvious. Speaking at a function organised by the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin recently, the two said that the worst is not over yet and that the downtrend could last till July next year. Asked about the outlook for India, the two economists said: "The recession will go. Time and effort will do this. The stronger the downturn, perhaps sharper will be the upturn." Words of comfort for the Indian FM.

-Anil Padmanabhan

Stamp of Approval

CALLIGRAPHY CLASSIC: Zakariya

Mohamed Zakariya is on a roll. Friends and fans have been writing in from all over the globe requesting a signed set of the first ever-Islamic stamp-the "Eid Greeting" stamp he designed. "The US Postal Service spent a long time in getting it right ... and I am glad it worked out. I am sure they will be reprinted," says Zakariya. The stamp was an extension of the work he does for homes and mosques. He etches verses from the Koran or sayings of the Prophet in his classical style of writing on specially prepared paper. The convert to Islam-he was born a Christian-is modest about his talent: "I don't know if I inherited it but I do know that I have worked like an animal to develop it," he says.

-Sonia Chopra