Manu Bhaker wore borrowed kit at Asian Games opening ceremony
Manu Bhaker wore a borrowed ceremonial kit while leading India's contingent at the 20th Asian Games opening ceremony in Nagoya after the kit issued to her did not fit, family sources said. The kit was taken from a masseuse attached to the Indian shooting contingent. Her father Ramkishan Bhaker alleged the shoes were also the wrong size. The Paris 2024 double bronze medallist competes in the 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and mixed team events.
Source
Times of India — Top · read the original report ↗
Desk check · some claims need care
What the desk checked (5)
- Manu Bhaker wore a ceremonial kit borrowed from a masseuse attached to the Indian shooting contingent at the Nagoya opening ceremony — Attributed to unnamed family sources; no confirmation from NRAI, IOA or Bhaker in the source
- The shoes provided were the wrong size; she wears size 5 and was given either 4 or 6 — Directly attributed as an allegation by her father Ramkishan Bhaker to TOI
- Bhaker initially told NRAI she wanted to focus on competition but agreed to be flag-bearer after persuasion by sports authorities and IOA contingent staff — Attributed to family sources; described in source as 'learnt', not officially confirmed
- Bhaker won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics and will compete in women's 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team — Figures and events appear in source as factual background; internally consistent
- Bhaker and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent at the 20th Asian Games opening ceremony in Nagoya, Japan — Stated in source caption text; no separate sourcing given
Analysts’ view opinion
Carrying the flag is the highest ceremonial honour an athlete can get — but family accounts suggest the basic groundwork around it slipped. The claim is that her issued kit and shoes did not fit, and she finally marched in attire borrowed from a masseuse attached to the Indian shooting contingent. In purely sporting terms, the real test starts with the pistol events on Monday, and the question is how much the ceremony disturbed her build-up routine.
- Manu, a double bronze medallist from Paris 2024, is entered in three events — women's 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed team — which is a heavy competition load.
- Family sources say she initially told the NRAI she wanted to focus on competition and only accepted the flag-bearer role after persuasion, a reminder of how protective shooters are of their pre-event routine.
- For shooters, rhythm and concentration matter more than raw fitness, and long hours of standing and travel on ceremony day are usually handled carefully.
- A kit-sizing mix-up does not directly move a score, but it does raise fair questions about contingent-level logistics and preparation.
- On the other side, picking an Olympic podium finisher as flag-bearer gives the Indian contingent real symbolic lift, so the intent behind the decision need not be read negatively.
What to watch — Watch Manu's qualification scores in the pistol events beginning Monday and how the mixed-team pairing settles — and whether officials respond formally to the kit-fitting allegations.
The story rests on family sources and her father's allegations; it carries no NRAI or IOA explanation, no comment from Manu herself, and nothing establishing that the episode affected her performance.
Deep dive
Research brief · 8 facts · 4 dates · exam-readyThe brief
Context
Manu Bhaker, India's double bronze medallist from the Paris 2024 Olympics, was chosen as one of India's flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, alongside kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat. According to family sources, the ceremonial kit issued to her did not fit, and she led the contingent wearing a kit borrowed from a masseuse attached to the Indian shooting contingent. Her father Ramkishan Bhaker alleged that the shoes provided were also the wrong size. The episode has raised questions about kit issue and athlete support arrangements by sports authorities and contingent officials.
Key facts
- Manu Bhaker wore a borrowed ceremonial kit at the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya after the issued kit did not fit, family sources said.
- The borrowed kit came from a masseuse attached to the Indian shooting contingent through a private sponsor.
- Father Ramkishan Bhaker said Manu wears shoe size 5, but the shoes given were either size 4 or 6, so she borrowed shoes that fit.
- Family sources said Manu received her ceremonial kit but the jacket did not fit properly.
- Manu Bhaker and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent at the athletes' parade.
- Manu had initially told the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) she wanted to focus on competition and training, with pistol events beginning Monday.
- She agreed to be flag-bearer after sports authorities and IOA contingent staff in Nagoya decided on the role and persuaded her.
- She won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics and will compete in women's 10m air pistol, women's 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team.
Timeline
- Paris 2024 OlympicsManu Bhaker wins two bronze medals, becoming India's double Olympic medallist from the Games.
- Before the Nagoya opening ceremonyManu tells NRAI she wants to focus on competition; sports authorities and IOA contingent staff then decide she will be flag-bearer and persuade her to accept.
- Opening ceremony, 20th Asian Games, NagoyaIssued kit and shoes do not fit; she leads the contingent in a kit borrowed from a shooting contingent masseuse, alongside Pawan Sehrawat.
- Monday (as stated in source)Pistol events begin at the Asian Games.
Who has a stake
- Manu Bhaker — Flag-bearer honour and competition readiness in three pistol events; faced ill-fitting ceremonial kit and shoes.
- Ramkishan Bhaker (father) — Publicly alleged wrong shoe size and kit issues, raising the complaint on his daughter's behalf.
- National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) — Federation managing shooting contingent; Manu had told it she wished to prioritise training over ceremonial duties.
- IOA contingent staff and sports authorities in Nagoya — Decided the flag-bearer role and are responsible for contingent kitting and athlete support.
- Masseuse with the Indian shooting contingent — Attached via a private sponsor; provided the kit that fitted Manu for the ceremony.
- Pawan Sehrawat (kabaddi player) — Co-flag-bearer leading the Indian contingent at the athletes' parade.
Why it matters
A flag-bearer at a continental multi-sport Games is the public face of the national contingent, so an ill-fitting kit points to gaps in basic athlete logistics rather than a mere wardrobe problem. It also highlights the tension between ceremonial duties and competition preparation, since Manu had initially preferred to focus on training before her pistol events.
UPSC angle
Prelims pointers
- Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- The 20th Asian Games opening ceremony was held in Nagoya, Japan.
- India's flag-bearers at the athletes' parade: Manu Bhaker and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat.
- NRAI (National Rifle Association of India) is the national federation for shooting.
- Manu Bhaker's Asian Games events: women's 10m air pistol, women's 25m pistol, 10m air pistol mixed team.
Mains framing
The episode of India's flag-bearer at the 20th Asian Games leading the contingent in a kit borrowed from a contingent masseuse is a small incident with a larger message about the quality of athlete support systems. Per the source, the ceremonial kit issued to Manu Bhaker did not fit, the jacket was unsuitable, and her father alleged the shoes were a size off; the only workable kit came through a person attached to the shooting team via a private sponsor. The immediate cause appears to be inadequate sizing and distribution of ceremonial attire by the contingent apparatus, involving sports authorities, IOA contingent staff and the federation. The implications are reputational — the flag-bearer represents the country visually before a continental audience — and practical, since an athlete due to compete in three pistol events had initially sought to conserve time for training and was persuaded into ceremonial duty. A grounded way forward, on the facts available, is straightforward: advance collection of athlete measurements, verified fittings before departure, and clear protocols on consulting athletes before assigning ceremonial roles close to their competition dates. The source does not state any official response from the NRAI or IOA.
Key terms
- Flag-bearer
- Athlete chosen to carry the national flag and lead the country's contingent at a Games opening ceremony parade.
- Ceremonial kit
- Official uniform, including jacket and shoes, issued to athletes for the opening ceremony parade.
- NRAI
- National Rifle Association of India, the national federation governing shooting sport in India.
- IOA
- Indian Olympic Association; its contingent staff in Nagoya were involved in deciding the flag-bearer role.
- 20th Asian Games
- The continental multi-sport event whose opening ceremony was held in Nagoya, Japan.
- 10m air pistol mixed team
- Shooting event pairing a man and a woman shooter; one of three events Manu Bhaker is entered in.
Practice questions
- Ill-fitting kits for a flag-bearer at a continental Games point to systemic gaps in athlete support. Examine the responsibilities of national federations and the IOA in ensuring contingent logistics.
- Should ceremonial duties such as flag-bearing be assigned to athletes competing within days of the opening ceremony? Discuss with reference to the Manu Bhaker episode at the 20th Asian Games.
- Name Manu Bhaker's events at the 20th Asian Games and her achievement at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Grounded only in the source report — figures and dates are the source's, not inferred.