Mary Kom, Manpreet Singh set to be Indian flag-bearers at Tokyo Olympics

Bajrang Punia will be tasked with carrying the Tricolour at the closing ceremony.

Iconic Indian boxer Mary Kom and Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh will be the country's flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced on Monday.

At its executive board meeting in 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had made provisions for flag-bearers from both genders at the opening ceremony.

“The IOC Executive Board also decided that there should be – for the first time ever – at least one female and one male athlete in every one of the 206 teams and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team participating at the Games of the Olympiad,” IOC chief Thomas Bach had said.

"The flag-bearers for the Indian contingent of Tokyo 2020 for the opening ceremony on July 23rd are Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh," President of the Indian Olympic Association, Narinder Batra said in an official letter.

"The flagbearer for the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony on August 8 will be Bajrang Punia," he further stated.

Batra also confirmed that the total contingent for the upcoming quadrennial showpiece would be around 201. The list comprises 126 athletes and 75 officials. The Indian contingent will have 56 per cent of men and 44 per cent of women. India will compete in about 85 medal positions.

Abhinav Bindra was the flag-bearer for the Indian contingent at Rio 2016. That honour fell to Sushil Kumar for the 2012 London Olympics. In addition, ace wrestler Bajrang Punia will be the flag-bearer for the closing ceremony in Tokyo 2020.

The country is looking forward to putting up a strong showing at the upcoming Olympics. The Tokyo Games will take place between July 23-August 7 later this year.

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