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Kabaddi raider Pawan Sehrawat replaced shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India's male flag-bearer at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games opening ceremony on 19 September 2026.
The Indian Olympic Association cited technical reasons; Toor's ceremonial kit had not reached him in time.
Shooter Manu Bhaker remained India's female flag-bearer and led the contingent alongside Sehrawat.
Sehrawat, nicknamed the 'Hi-Flyer', was part of India's gold-medal kabaddi team at Hangzhou 2022 and received the Arjuna Award in 2023.
Toor continues to compete at the Games, chasing a third straight Asian Games shot put gold after Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022.
India's National Olympic Committee; selects the contingent and names the flag-bearers for the opening ceremony. It announced the replacement.
Governs the Asian Games, at which 46 delegations are competing in 2026
Kabaddi is introduced as a medal sport at the Beijing Asian Games; India wins the gold
India wins the men's kabaddi gold at Incheon
India takes bronze at Jakarta-Palembang - its only edition without the men's gold; Toor wins the shot put gold
India regains the kabaddi gold at Hangzhou, beating Iran 33-29; Toor defends his shot put title with 20.36 m
Pawan Sehrawat receives the Arjuna Award
Sehrawat replaces Toor as India's male flag-bearer at the Aichi-Nagoya opening ceremony
General Awareness > Sports - Indian athletes, honours and multi-sport events
General Awareness > Sports current affairs
Who broke the 30-year-old Asian Games men's 5,000m meet record in National Open Athletics Championships 2024?
Answer: Gulveer Singh
The athlete who carries the national flag at the head of a country's delegation in the opening ceremony; India names one man and one woman.
The kabaddi player who enters the opponent's half to score points by touching defenders - Pawan Sehrawat's position.
India's national award for outstanding performance in sports; Pawan Sehrawat received it in 2023.