The Indian contingent for the Paris Olympics, which began on July 26, includes 24 personnel from the armed forces, marking a significant milestone with the maiden participation of female athletes from the Services.
This year, the contingent comprises 117 athletes, among whom the presence of Neeraj Chopra, the gold medalist from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, stands out. He is one of the 24 armed forces personnel representing India in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Indian Army, in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) , highlighted the participation of 13 Indian Army athletes across seven disciplines at the Paris Olympics. The Army’s statement underscores the formidable presence and past achievements of its athletes on the world stage.
The Ministry of Defence announced the inclusion of two women from the armed forces, marking the first-time female service athletes representing India at the Olympics. This historic debut features Havildar Jaismine Lamboria, a 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in boxing, and CPO Ritika Hooda, a 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships bronze medallist. Both athletes aim to create history in their respective sports of boxing and wrestling.
Neeraj Chopra’s participation follows a string of impressive victories, including gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games, 2023 World Athletics Championship, 2024 Diamond League, and 2024 Paavo Nurmi Games. Among the 24-armed forces personnel, 22 are men, including notable athletes such as Sub Amit Panghal (boxing), CPO Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put), and Sub Avinash Mukund Sable (3000m steeplechase), Sub Pravin Ramesh Jadhav, sub Santosh Kumar T, Hav Sarvesh Anil Kushare, Sub Amit (boxing), Hav Jasmine (boxing), Sub Vishnu Saravanan (sailing) and Hav Sandeep Singh (shooting).
Additional service members include CPO Muhammed Anas Yahiya, PO (GW) Muhammed Ajmal, Sub Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan, JWO Mijo Chacko Kurian (4x400m men’s relay), JWO Abdulla Aboobacker (triple jump), Sub Tarundeep Rai, Sub Dhiraj Bommadevara (archery), and Nb Sub Sandeep Singh (shooting). These athletes will strive to bring honour to the nation with their exceptional skills and dedication.
Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the Army Chief, recently engaged in a video conference with the Army athletes, expressing his support and best wishes for their success at the Games.