Olympics 2024 is almost upon us, and India's best are all set to compete in the sporting celebration in Paris. Here, ESPN takes a look at the numbers that define India's squad for Paris:
5
There are five returning medallists heading to Paris: Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu, PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain and the men's hockey team. India had won seven medals in Tokyo, with wrestlers Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia being the other two.
1
The Indian contingent goes into the Paris Olympics with a defending champion in their midst: none other than Neeraj Chopra. Neeraj, India's first track and field and second-ever individual gold medallist, will defend his men's javelin title in Paris.
72
As many as 72 athletes will make their Olympic debuts in Paris - that's 61% of the Indian contingent. Some of the debutants include two-time boxing world champion Nikhat Zareen, junior world wrestling champions Antim Panghal and Reetika Hooda, India's fastest hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and the latest javelin sensation in Kishore Kumar Jena.
14
Dhinidhi Desinghu, aged 14, will be the youngest Indian to compete in the Paris Olympics. In fact, she is the second youngest Indian to compete in the history of the Olympics after fellow swimmer Aarti Saha, who participated in the 1952 Olympics as an 11-year-old.
1
India will have just one male wrestler at the 2024 Olympics: Aman Sehrawat. From having two male wrestlers winning medals in Tokyo to having just one qualify, it has not been a great run for men's freestyle wrestling in India. Aman, who replaced his idol Ravi Dahiya in the 57kg category, will hope to become the sixth Indian male wrestler to climb the Olympic podium.
21
India's shooting team goes into the Paris Games on the high of securing a record number of quotas - 21. This is the first time that India's shooters grabbed the quota in every category.
2
Parul Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker are the only Indian athletes who will compete in multiple individual events at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Parul has qualified for the women's 5000m run and 3000m steeplechase, while Manu will feature in the women's 10m air pistol and 25m pistol.
42 & 44
At 42 and 44, Sharath Kamal and Rohan Bopanna will be the senior-most members of India's Paris Olympics contingent. The flagbearer of Indian table tennis for the last two decades, Sharath has also been named India's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. He will be in action in the men's singles and men's team events in Paris, in what will be his fifth Olympic campaign.
Bopanna, who recently became the oldest player ever to become the world #1 ranked doubles player, will compete in the men's doubles alongside Sriram Balaji.
117
India will send a total of 117 athletes across 16 sports disciplines. This is a slight dip from the 121-strong squad that went to Tokyo. Some of the missing names from the Tokyo contingent include the women's hockey team [did not qualify], Mary Kom [retired], long jumper Sreeshankar Murali [withdrew due to injury] and fencer Bhavani Devi [did not qualify].
It's interesting to note that over 40% of the Indian roster comprises women athletes [47 in total]. Women athletes have accounted for seven of India's last 15 Olympic medals, three of which were won in Tokyo [Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain and PV Sindhu].