The Indian contingent is set to make a vibrant presence at the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, with 78 athletes and officials proudly representing 12 sports disciplines.
Leading this enthusiastic group are Dr. PT Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the athletes’ needs come first. They’ve made it a priority to include every athlete who was available, though some have chosen to focus on their upcoming competitions on Saturday—a decision that has been met with full respect and understanding from the IOA.
Carrying the Indian flag high, PV Sindhu and Sharath Kamal will lead the contingent. Their presence symbolizes the hopes and dreams of countless fans back home.
Among the talented athletes walking in the parade are:
- Archery: The ever-determined Deepika Kumari and the steadfast Tarundeep Rai
- Badminton: The indomitable PV Sindhu
- Boxing: The fearless Lovlina Borgohain
- Equestrian: The graceful Anush Agarwalla
- Golf: The sharp Shubhankar Sharma
- Hockey: The dynamic trio of Krishan Pathak, Nilakanta Sharma, and Jugraj Singh
- Judo: The powerful Tulika Mann
- Sailing: The skilled duo Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan
- Shooting: The precise Anjum Moudgil, Sift Kaur Samra, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, and Anish
- Swimming: The swift Srihari Nataraj and Dhinidhi Desinghu
- Table Tennis: The experienced Sharath Kamal and the tenacious Manika Batra
- Tennis: The veteran Rohan Bopanna, alongside the promising Sumit Nagal and Sriram Balaji
Balraj Panwar, set to compete in rowing, has a crucial race on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the teams for Athletics, Weightlifting, and Wrestling are still en route to Paris, ready to join their compatriots soon.
As they march through the stadium, these athletes carry with them the hopes and dreams of a nation, each step resonating with the collective heartbeat of India.