Asian Games 2026: Manu Bhaker, Tajinderpal Singh Toor Named India's Flag-Bearers at Opening Ceremony

Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending Asian Games shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been named India's flag-bearers for the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday.

India's Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav confirmed Bhaker's selection, while the Athletics Federation of India subsequently announced Toor as the second flag-bearer. The opening ceremony will be held at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya.

"Manu Bhaker will be one of the flag-bearers," India's chef-de-Mission Sahdev Yadav said.

The honour comes after Bhaker created history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single edition of the Games. She won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol before adding another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event alongside Sarabjot Singh.

Toor, meanwhile, enters the Asian Games as the reigning men's shot put champion. He won gold at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games before successfully defending his title at Hangzhou 2023. He will now attempt to win the event for a third consecutive edition.

"I am feeling proud that I will be one of the flag-bearers of the Indian contingent. It's a dream of every athlete to be flag-bearer of his or her country. I thank the IOA for giving me the honour," Toor said in a video message from IOA.

"It's a big moment of a lifetime for me that I am going to be the flag-bearer along with an Olympic medallist (Manu Bhaker)."

The choice of Bhaker and Toor also reflects the contribution of shooting and athletics to India's Asian Games medal tally. At Hangzhou, athletics won 29 medals, including six gold, while shooting contributed 22 medals, including seven gold.

India won a record 107 medals at the Hangzhou Games, including 28 gold, although current official reporting lists the haul as 107 medals overall.

Toor has been training at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo as India's athletics team undertakes an acclimatisation camp. He will travel to Nagoya for the opening ceremony before rejoining the athletics contingent.

Meanwhile, the athletics team has undergone a late change, with long jumper David Solomon added as a replacement for injured Shahnavaz Khan. The change takes the athletics contingent to 75, according to the Athletics Federation of India.

The 2026 Asian Games officially begin on September 19 and run until October 4.