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It is the biggest honour for any athlete to be the Olympic flag bearer for the country. Athletes who gave their best in sports lead their contingent with their country's flag in hand. In the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, Sharath Kamal will lead India's contingent with tricolour in his hand.
Here is the list of India's flag bearers in history of the Olympics
Purma Banerjee India's first flag bearer
Indian sprinter Purma Banerjee was the first Indian flag bearer. She lead the Indian contingent with tricolour in the 1920 Olympic Games held in Antwerp.
Talimeren Ao the first flag bearer of independent India
After India's freedom in 1947, Talimeren Ao was the first Indian who led the country's contingent after independence in the 1948 London Olympics. He was the first football captain of India. He was the first Indian football captain after Independence.
Independent India's first female flag bearer
During Barcelona Olympics in 1992 Indian sprinter Shiny Abraham Wilson became India's first female Olympic flag bearer. After her, Annu Bobby George and Mary Kom have got the opportunity to get this honor.
Balbir Singh: Only player to be the flag bearer twice
After Independence team India dominated the World in Hockey and the team clinched 13 medals in the Olympics. They have achieved the honor of being India's flag bearer the most number of times (6). Three-time Olympic gold medalist Balbir Singh Senior is the only athlete to have been India's flag bearer twice. He was India's flag bearer in 1952 and 1956.
Previous five flag bearers Olympic medalists
India's flag bearers for the last five editions of the Olympics
18 Indian athletes have led the contingent in the Olympics and out of with last five flag bearers have also won medals at the World's largest sporting event. 2004's flag bearer Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won the silver medal in the same edition. Wrestler Sushil Kumar led India in 2012 Olympics which was hosted by London. He clinched two medals in London. India shooter Abhinav Bindra created history in the Beijing Olympics after winning the first individual gold medal for the nation. Interestingly, he was the flag bearer of the 216 Olympics. For the first time in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, India had two flag bearers in the form of Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh. Mary Kom won the bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics. Whereas Manpreet Singh, as captain, led the Indian hockey team to its first Olympic medal (bronze medal) after 1980, ending a 40-year drought.
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