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Indian table tennis star Sharath Kamal is set to be the country's flag bearer at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. His name was announced on Thursday, March 21, by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
At the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, it was the duo of then-men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and boxing superstar Mary Kom who had this honor.
The 2020 Games, held in 2021, gave the participating countries the option of having two flag-bearers (a male and a female). This was a symbolic gesture to promote the message of gender equality.
Manpreet was not only the captain of the Indian hockey team but also one of the best midfielders in the sport. The decision to have him carry the flag of the country proved prescient, as the Indian hockey team won a historic bronze medal at the Games. It was the first hockey medal for India since the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Mary Kom, though, was well past her prime by then. She competed in the flyweight category but lost in the Round of 16 to Colombia's Ingrit Valencia. But the honor of carrying the Indian flag was a richly deserved honor for the six-time world champion.
The former pugilist from Manipur will be involved in the upcoming Paris Games too. She was announced as the Chef de Mission of the Indian delegation for the 2024 Olympics. Shiva Keshavan, a six-time Winter Olympian, will be her deputy for the Games.
India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
The 2020 Summer Games proved to be the best ever for India in terms of medals won. The country's athletes won as many as seven medals, including one gold, two silver, and four bronze.
The Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympics was the largest ever sent by the country, having 126 participants.
Neeraj Chopra won India's first-ever athletics gold in the men's javelin throw. Mirabai Chanu had opened the country's medals account by winning a silver in the women's 49kg weightlifting event .
Lovlina Borgohain took home a bronze in the women's welterweight boxing category. PV Sindhu took home her second Olympics medal by winning bronze in the women's singles badminton.
In men's freestyle wrestling, Ravi Dahiya won a silver in the 57kg category while Bajrang Punia earned a bronze in the 65kg division.
The historic medal in men's hockey made the event all the more memorable. Though Manpreet isn't the captain this time, he is part of the team and will be looking to help his team win a medal again this time.
