Bhaker, Sehrawat carry Indian flag at Asian Games opening

Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat carried the Indian flag at the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony in Nagoya on Saturday. Sehrawat replaced shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who was ruled out due to technical issues related to his ceremonial kit. The kabaddi star said he did not sleep the night before after learning of the honour.

Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist, recalled her late coach Jaspal Rana after the ceremony. Rana, who died in June at 49, had a strict rule: Bhaker could attend an opening ceremony only if she was the flagbearer, otherwise she had to watch on television to conserve energy for competitions that often start the next day. "Missed Jaspal sir a lot today," Bhaker said. She competes in three pistol events starting Sunday.