Two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent as flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Saturday, September 19. The ceremony will officially mark the beginning of the 20th Asian Games in Japan.
Bhaker, one of India's most prominent shooting stars, enters the Asian Games following her historic campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She won bronze medals in the women's 10m air pistol and the mixed team 10m air pistol event alongside Sarabjot Singh, becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single Olympic Games.
Manu Bhaker And Pawan Sehrawat Led Indian Contingent At Grand Opening Ceremony
Pawan Sehrawat, meanwhile, took on the responsibility of carrying the Indian flag alongside Bhaker. The kabaddi star was part of India's gold-medal-winning men's kabaddi team at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and returns to the continental showpiece as one of the country's leading kabaddi players.
The opening ceremony is being held at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, with the event scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM IST. India has sent a 503-athlete contingent to the Aichi-Nagoya Games, comprising 269 men and 234 women competing across 36 sporting disciplines.
With Bhaker and Sehrawat carrying the Tricolour, India officially begins its campaign at the continental sporting extravaganza, with the country's athletes set to compete across a wide range of disciplines over the coming days.
