The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appointed 2012 London Olympics bronze medalist shooter Gagan Narang as the Chef-de-Mission of the Indian team for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, replacing Mary Kom. Ace Badminton player PV Sindhu was also appointed as the co-flag bearer along with table tennis player Sharath Kamal.
The appointment of Gagan Narang and PV Sindhu was announced by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha on 8 July 2024.
In March 2024, the Indian Olympic Association appointed 2012 London Olympic Games bronze medalist Mary Kom as the Chef- de-Mission for the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
At that time, Gagan Narang was given the responsibility of overseeing India’s operations at the shooting range for the Indian shooting contingent.
Later on, Mary Kom declined to accept the post due to certain personal reasons.
Shiva Keshavan will remain the deputy Chef -de- Mission.
Chef de Mission, in French, means ‘head of mission’. The Chef de Mission is an important administrative post for any national contingent taking part in an international multidisciplinary sporting event. The Chef de Mission is the spokesperson of the entire team during the Olympic Games. They are also mentors, supporters, and cheerleaders who aim to motivate and inspire the team while protecting the athletes' performances.
In every multinational/continental game, the flag bearer is the first person to lead his country’s contingent, comprised of athletes, supporting staff, and other officials, during the opening ceremony and parade of the games. The flag bearer is usually a distinguished player of the country.
The parade is held at the game's opening and closing ceremonies. Thus, the same person or a different person can be appointed flag bearer for these ceremonies.
Four new sports have been introduced in the Paris Olympics 2024: Breaking, Surfing, Sport Climbing, and Skateboarding.