Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Manu Bhaker, Tajinderpal Toor Named India’s Asian Games Flag-Bearers
Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor will carry India’s flag at the Asian Games opening ceremony.
The ceremony will take place on Saturday, 19 September, in Nagoya, Japan.
Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She was the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at one Olympic Games.
Toor has won the Asian Games shot put gold medal twice.
He will try to win the event for a third time.
India is sending more than 500 athletes to compete.
The reports give different figures for the total number of sports and athletes in the contingent.
Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor were named India’s flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony.
The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, 19 September, at Nagoya’s Paloma Mizuho Stadium.
Bhaker won bronze medals in two events at the 2024 Paris Olympics and was part of India’s Hangzhou Asian Games gold-medal-winning 25m pistol team.
Toor won Asian Games shot put gold in 2018 and 2023 and will seek a third consecutive title.
Reports describe India’s contingent as 503 athletes or more than 500, while accounts differ on whether the Games feature 37 or 43 sports.
- Who
- Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor were named India’s flag-bearers.
- What
- They will carry India’s flag at the 2026 Asian Games opening ceremony.
- When
- The appointments were announced on Friday; the ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, 19 September.
- Where
- The ceremony will be held at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.
- Why
- The reports link the selections to Bhaker’s Olympic achievements and Toor’s two previous Asian Games shot put titles; they also note the strong medal contributions of shooting and athletics for India.
- Flag-bearers
- Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor
- Opening ceremony
- Saturday, 19 September, at Paloma Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya
- Ceremony time
- 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. IST, according to one report
- Bhaker’s achievement
- Bronze medals in the women’s 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event at Paris 2024
- Toor’s achievement
- Asian Games shot put gold medals in 2018 and 2023
- Indian contingent
- One report gives a total of 503 athletes; another says more than 500
- Reported Games scale
- Accounts cite either 37 or 43 sports, with one report naming 45 participating countries and regions
Sources
Asian Games 2026: Manu Bhaker, Tajinderpal Toor Named Flag-Bearers For Opening Ceremony
Bhaker, Toor named India’s flag-bearers for Asiad opening
Manu Bhaker, Tajinderpal Toor Named India's Flag-Bearers For Asian Games 2026 Opening
