Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony: All you need to know - Schedule, List of performers, Live Streaming

Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony, all you need to know: The 19th Asian Games will get underway on September 23 (Saturday) in Hangzhou with 45 countries and territories from the continent will participate in 61 disciplines across 40 sports. The Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony will mark the beginning of the 16-day event.

A record Indian contingent of 921, biggest ever from the nation, will be at the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony, including 655 athletes, 260 coaches and support staff. The opening ceremony is slated to start at 5:30 PM IST (8 PM local time).

There are various events lined up on the day with the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony primarily divided into three components, namely the artistic program, athlete parade of all participating nations, and the ceremonial lighting of the flame.

Who will be the flagbearer of India at the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony?

Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and boxing start Lovlina Borgohain will be the flagbearers at the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony.

Who are the chief guests at the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony?

Chinese president Xi Jinping will be the chief guest at the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony while leaders from South Korea, Malaysia among other nations will also be in attendance. India's union sports minister Anurag Thakur has declined the invitation to attend the ceremony after three of Indian wushu athletes from Arunachal were not granted visa.

Who will perform during the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony?

The artistic programme before the athletes' parades will be used by the host nation to show their advancement in modern technologies, including AI and eco-friendly technology. The show will be largely about amalgamation of cutting-edge technology and cultural elements.

"We will transport the beauty of mountains and rivers directly onto the stage, using the mesmerizing combination of naked-eye 3D visual effects and virtual imagery," said Sha Xiaolan, chief director for the opening ceremony of Hangzhou Asian Games, during a press briefing on Thursday.

"This will create a breathtaking spectacle where performers can walk within a painting and immerse themselves in a picturesque landscape."

"The opening ceremony will also ingeniously intertwine the elements of musical theater and traditional Chinese Yue opera, seamlessly blending Eastern aesthetics with Western art," added Sha.

"Furthermore, a carefully curated selection of representative folk songs, dances, operas and intangible cultural heritage projects from 11 different cities in Zhejiang Province will be showcased as prelude performances, adding to the charm and excitement of the event."

What's special about the torch lighting ceremony in Asian Games 2023?

The Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony for the first time will see a digital torch lighting ceremony with the secret of the method being revealed beforehand; a deviation from the tradition, where the host nation earlier didn't reveal the method of lighting the torch untill the day of the ceremony itself.
"We have devised a captivating and fully immersive way to involve the masses in the torch lighting ceremony," beamed Sha. "Millions of 'digital torchbearers' who have registered online will transform into shimmering 'flames' and glowing dots, converging upon the Qiantang River.

"They will come together to form a striking 'digital human' figure. With torches in hand, this digital representation will race towards the sky above the stadium, joining forces with the 'real-life torchbearer.' Through a seamless blend of virtual and real worlds, they will collectively ignite the main torch tower, symbolising the harmonious fusion of technology and reality."
Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony will also see electronic smokeless fireworks that have been developed using 3D animation and augmented reality.

Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony Live Streaming details

Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony will take place at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium. Asian Games 2023 will be live telecasted on the Sony Sports Network while the Live streaming will be available on SonyLiv as the event begins at 5:30 PM IST.