News Sports Other President Kovind hosts Olympic contingent over ‘high tea’ on eve of Independence Day

President Kovind hosts Olympic contingent over ‘high tea’ on eve of Independence Day

India had sent their biggest ever contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with 124 competitors who participated across 18 disciplines.

PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia Image Source : TWITTER/MEDIA_SAIPV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Bajrang Punia

President Ram Nath Kovind hosted the Indian athletes of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics over a ‘High Tea’ on Saturday on the eve of the nation's 75th Independence Day. Sports Authority of India shared clips of star Indian athletes from the event. 

The Indian contingent on Sunday will also attend the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet and interact with the athletes. All the participants will also go to the PM's residence.

The official Twitter handle of Sports Authority of India shared clips of boxing icon MC Mary Kom, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, Olympic silver-medallist Mirabai Chanu and bronze medal winner Bajrang Punia.

India had sent their biggest ever contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with 124 competitors who participated across 18 disciplines. 

India won seven medals at the Tokyo showpiece -- 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze - to go one better of their medal haul at the 2012 London Olympics. India's previous best Olympic medal haul was in London where India had won six medals - two silver and four bronze. 

Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu kicked off the proceedings on Day 1 of the Tokyo Games, claiming a silver before badminton ace Sindhu became the nation's second Olympic double medallist after wrestler Sushil Kumar. 

The 26-year-old shuttler added a bronze to her cabinet after winning the silver at the 2016 Rio Games. Debutant boxer Lovlina Borgohain added a third to India's list with a bronze in the women's welterweight category. 

The men's hockey team also scripted history by ending India's 41-year-long wait for a medal in the sport. The Manpreet Singh-led side defeated heavyweight Germany 5-4 in the third-place match to clinch the Bronze. In wrestling, Ravi Dahiya (silver) and Bajrang (bronze) achieved podium finish to add two more medals.