New Delhi, 18 September (H.S.): Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor will be India’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday.

More than 500 Indian athletes will compete across 37 sports at the 20th edition of the Asian Games. The continental multi-sport event will conclude on October 4.

India’s Chef-de-Mission Sahdev Yadav confirmed Bhaker’s selection as one of the flag-bearers. The Athletics Federation of India subsequently confirmed Tajinderpal Singh Toor as the second flag-bearer for the opening ceremony.

Twenty-four-year-old Manu Bhaker is a two-time Olympic medallist. She will represent India in the 10-metre air pistol and 25-metre pistol events in Japan.

Thirty-one-year-old Tajinderpal Singh Toor will enter the Asian Games aiming to secure a third consecutive gold medal in the men’s shot put. He won the gold medal in the event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and successfully defended his title at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

India recorded its best-ever medal haul at the previous edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, winning 106 medals, including 28 gold medals.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar