PV Sindhu to be India’s flag bearer alongside Sharath Kamal; Gagan Narang named Chef-de-Mission

Ace Indian badminton player and two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu will be India’s female flag bearer for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Sindhu will be alongside paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal as the flag bearers for the Summer Games.

London Olympics bronze medalist Gagan Narang will be India’s Chef-de-Mission for the Olympics. Narang replaced Mary Kom as the chef-de-mission after the boxer quit due to personal reasons.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) confirmed the appointments and president PT Usha said Narang was an automatic choice.

“I was looking for an Olympic medallist to lead our contingent and my young colleague is an apt replacement for Mary Kom. I am also delighted to announce that India’s only woman to win two Olympic medals, PV Sindhu, as the female flag-bearer alongside table tennis ace A Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony,” Usha said in a media release.

The chef-de-mission is an important administrative post as the person is responsible for ensuring the welfare of the participating athletes, taking care of their needs and liaising with the organising committee.

While Sharath Kamal’s name was picked in March, the IOA had taken time to announce the female athlete. The rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) states that one female and one male athlete from each participating nation will jointly bear the flag during the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, former Indian hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and Mary Kom were the flag bearers.

Usha, in the same media release, stated that she is confident of a good showing from the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics. “I am confident that our athletes are well prepared to deliver the best results for India in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” she stated.

India will send a contingent of more than 100 athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 2024 Paris Olympics commence on July 26.