Ace shuttler PV Sindhu will be the female flag bearer for India during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics. At the same time, London Olympic bronze medallist shooter Gagan Narang has replaced legendary boxer Mary Kom as India's Chef-de-Mission for the Paris Olympics on Monday.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha revealed that Narang's elevation from deputy CDM position became an automatic choice after Mary Kom's resignation. "I was looking for an Olympic medallist to lead our contingent and my young colleague is an apt replacement for Mary Kom," PT Usha said in a press release.

PT Usha also confirmed that table tennis ace Sharath Kamal and badminton superstar Sindhu are India's flag-bearers for the Paris Games. “I am also delighted to announce that India's only woman to win two Olympic medals, PV Sindhu, as the female flag-bearer alongside table tennis ace Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony,” she added.

Gagan Narang named India's Chef de Mission

Narang emerged as the frontrunner in the race to become the next CDM of the Indian contingent ahead of the Summer Games. Six-time world champion Mary Kom stepped down as CDM in April due to personal reasons. Six-time world champion Mary Kom was handed the high-profile post by the IOA in March. The Chef-de-Mission is responsible for ensuring the welfare of the participating athletes. The CDM takes care of players' liaising with the organising committee at the Summer Games.

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In 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) changed its protocol to allow one female and one male athlete to bear the flag jointly during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Boxing icon Mary Kom and former hockey captain Manpreet Singh were India's flag bearers at the Tokyo Olympics. India will field its largest-ever shooting contingent as 21 Indian medal contenders have punched their tickets for the Paris Games. "I am confident that our athletes are well prepared to deliver the best results for India in Paris 2024 Olympic Games," Usha added.

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