NAGOYA, SEPT 19: Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and star kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, carrying the Tricolour during the Athletes’ Parade.
The colourful ceremony at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium formally marked the opening of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, bringing together athletes from across Asia. Japan’s Emperor Naruhito officially declared the Games open in the presence of Empress Masako, members of the Japanese imperial family, Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.
Bhaker, who won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was chosen as India’s female flag-bearer. Her presence at the head of the Indian delegation added further significance to the ceremony as she prepares to compete in shooting events at the Games.
Sehrawat joined Bhaker as the male flag-bearer after a last-minute change in India’s line-up. Shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who had originally been named for the role, was replaced after he was unable to receive his ceremonial kit in time for the opening ceremony.
Sehrawat is part of India’s men’s kabaddi campaign and was a member of the gold-medal-winning Indian team at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. India will seek to defend its men’s kabaddi title in Nagoya.
The Indian delegation marched into the stadium with the national flag held high as contingents from 45 countries participated in the Parade of Nations. The Games feature around 11,000 athletes competing across 43 sports, with 469 gold medals on offer. The competition will continue until October 4.
India has sent a large contingent to Nagoya and will compete across 36 sports, aiming to build on its record performance at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where the country won 106 medals, including 28 gold.
Some competitions had already begun before the opening ceremony. India’s women’s cricket team, for instance, entered the semifinals after defeating hosts Japan, while other disciplines including football, basketball and teqball have also got underway.
With the ceremonial proceedings now complete, attention shifts to the sporting arena, where Indian athletes will begin their medal campaign across disciplines ranging from athletics, shooting and wrestling to boxing, badminton, kabaddi and cricket.
