Anurag Thakur Gave Send Off to First Batch of 88 Indian Athletes to Tokyo Olympics
New Delhi: India sent first batch of the Tokyo Olympic bound athletes from eight disciplines at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Saturday. The Union Minister for sports Anurag Thakur gave a formal send off to the first batch athletes.
A contingent of 88 members includes 54 athletes besides supports staff and IOA representatives, departed for the Japanese capital Tokyo. The Olympic games in Tokyo will begin from July 23rd. The Union Minister for sports Anurag Thakur was accompanied by Minister of state for sports Nishith Pramanik, SAI director General Sandip Pradhan and IOC officials, President Narendra Batra and Secretary General Rajeev Mehta at the send off ceremony.
Our 🇮🇳athletes are all set for #Tokyo2020!
I’m looking forward to sending off the 88 member Indian contingent at T3 in the evening today. A matter of GREAT PRIDE for every INDIAN 🇮🇳!
INDIA is sending the largest ever 127 member contingent to the Olympics!
Let’s #Cheer4India! pic.twitter.com/mdolgFMN6V
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 17, 2021
The first batch of the athletes of eight disciplines is archery, badminton, table tennis, hockey, judo, gymnastics, swimming and weightlifting. Hockey team is the largest among all the disciplines consisting of both men and women. The hockey teams were accorded a warm reception on entering the IGI terminal, with airport staff clapping on both sides as they walked through.
Union Minister @ianuragthakur & MOS @NisithPramanik to send-off first batch of 88 Indian athletes from Delhi for #TokyoOlympics
With #JaiHind slogan, Union Minister extends his best wishes to the athletes@IndiaSports @Media_SAI @WeAreTeamIndia @Tokyo2020 #Cheer4India pic.twitter.com/9B183nmmbN
— MIB India 🇮🇳 #We4Vaccine (@MIB_India) July 17, 2021
India’s lone weightlifter in fray, Mirabai Chanu, reached Tokyo on Friday from her training base in St Louis, USA. Chanu was accompanied by national coach Vijay Sharma and assistant coach Sandip Kumar, while another assistant coach Pramod Sharma left from the national capital along with the first batch.