Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and veteran Table Tennis player Sharath Kamal has been appointed to be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent at the Paris Summer Olympics 2024. The Indian Olympic Committee announced this on 22 March 2024.

The 33rd Summer Olympics will be held in Paris, the capital of France, from 26 July to 11 August 2024.

Flag Bearer at the Olympic Games

In every multinational/continental game, the flag bearer is the first person who leads his country’s contingent during the opening ceremony parade of the games. In the Olympic Games also, the flag bearer is normally a distinguished player of the country who is/are given the honour to lead the country’s contingent comprising athletes, supporting staff and other officials in the opening ceremony.

The parade is held at the opening and closing ceremony of the game .Thus the same person or different person can be appointed as flag bearer for the opening and closing ceremony.

Indian flag bearer at Summer Olympics

The distinction of being the first flag bearer at the Summer Olympics goes to athlete Purma Banerjee who carried the Indian flag at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

Shiny Abraham Wilson became the first woman to be an Indian Flag bearer at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

World Boxing champion Mary Kom and former Indian men’s Hockey captain Manpreet Singh were jointly the Indian flag bearers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Mary Kom as Chef de Mission

2012 London Olympic Games bronze medalist Mary Kom was appointed the Chef De Mission for the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympic Games 2024. Shiva Keshavan has been appointed the deputy Chef de Mission.

Chef de Mission means ‘head of mission’. The Chef de Mission is the spokesperson of the entire team during the Olympic Games. They are also a mentor, supporter, and cheerleader who aims to motivate and inspire the team while protecting the athletes' performances.

Gagan Narang to oversee Shooting

2012 London Olympics bronze medalist shooter Gagan Narang has been given the responsibility of overseeing India’s operations at the shooting range.

Till date, India has secured 19 quotas in shooting for the Paris 2024 Olympics.It will be the largest-ever shooting contingent of India to participate in an Olympics.15 Indian shooters participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Paris Summer Olympics

The Paris Summer Olympics will be held in Paris, France, from 26 July to 11 August 2024.

It will be the third time Paris will host the Summer Olympics. It hosted the Olympic Games in 1900 and the Second in 1924.

Around 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic committees are expected to take part in the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Four new sports have been introduced in the Paris Olympics 2024: Breaking, Surfing, Sport Climbing, and Skateboarding.

President of Indian Olympic Association: P.T.Usha