Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and table tennis legend A Sharath Kamal led the Indian delegation at the dazzling opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics on Friday.
India was the 84th team to make its entrance. The female athletes wore elegant sarees, while the men donned traditional kurta-pajamas in the colors of the national flag.
Sindhu, competing in her third Olympics, expressed her pride and excitement: “I’m thrilled to be here at my third Games. It’s an honor to be the flag bearer for the Indian contingent, and I hope to carry the same enthusiasm into my competition and bring a medal back to India,” she told Jio Cinema.
Kamal, who is participating in his fifth Olympics, shared his anticipation: “For the past few months, I’ve been dreaming and visualizing this moment. It’s incredibly exciting to share it with PV Sindhu. It’s a fantastic moment for me.”
A total of 78 Indian athletes and officials took part in the ceremony.
The boats carrying the athletes sailed past Paris’s iconic landmarks, including the recently restored Cathedral of Notre Dame, the famed Louvre Museum, and several Games venues.
This marks the first time in Olympic history that the opening ceremony was held outside a stadium, taking place along the Seine River, which flows through the heart of the historic French capital.