Olympics: PM Narendra Modi to interact with Tokyo-bound athletes virtually at 5 pm on July 13

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be interacting with the Indian athletes bound for Tokyo Olympics on July 13 at 5 pm via video conferencing.

"The interaction by the Prime Minister is an endeavour to motivate the athletes ahead of their participation at the games. He had recently reviewed the preparations for facilitation of India’s contingent at Tokyo-2020," stated an official release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Recently, Prime Minister Modi had discussed the inspirational journeys of some of the athletes on Mann Ki Baat, besides urging the nation to come forward and wholeheartedly support them.

The event will be attended by Anurag Thakur, Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports; Nisith Pramanik, MoS Youth Affairs and Sports and Kiren Rijiju, Law Minister.

A total of 126 athletes across 18 sports disciplines from India will be heading to Tokyo. This is the biggest-ever contingent India is sending to any Olympics. The 69 cumulative events across the 18 sport disciplines that India will participate in are also the highest ever for the country.

There are several notable firsts in terms of participation. For the first time in its history, a Fencer from India (Bhavani Devi) has qualified for the Olympic Games. Nethra Kumanan is the first-ever female Sailor from India to qualify for an Olympic Games. Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj are the first Swimmers from India to qualify for an Olympic Games by achieving the ‘A’ Qualification Standard in Swimming.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already confirmed that boxer Mary Kom and men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh would be the flagbearers for the Indian contingent at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in the opening ceremony. Wrestler Bajrang Punia will be the flagbearer at the closing ceremony.

The Indian contingent would depart for Tokyo on July 17. Olympics will run from July 23-August 8.