India has dispatched a strong contingent of 117 members for the Paris Olympics 2024, with the goal of surpassing their previous record of seven medals won at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. The Indian team comprises a blend of young and seasoned athletes across nearly all sports.
Notably, India’s star tennis player, Rohan Bopanna, is one of the oldest athletes at 44 years old heading to Paris. Meanwhile, Dhinidhi Desinghu, at 14 years old, will be the youngest participant representing India at this multi-sport event.
Rohan Bopanna: India’s oldest athlete at Paris Olympics
Bopanna will once again strive to win an Olympic medal in Paris, marking his third Olympic appearance. He previously competed with Mahesh Bhupathi in the 2012 Olympics, where they advanced to the second round of the men’s doubles event.
In 2016, Bopanna paired with Leander Paes for the men’s doubles event but exited in the first round. However, in the mixed doubles, he and his partner Sania Mirza came close to winning a medal but ultimately lost the bronze medal match to the Czech Republic’s Lucie Hradecka and Radek Stepanek in straight sets.
Although Bopanna did not qualify for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he secured a spot for the Paris Olympics thanks to his World No. 4 ranking. This time, he will partner with World No. 62 N Sriram Balaji. Entering the multi-sport event after an impressive run on the tour, Bopanna became the oldest World No. 1 this year and, alongside his Australian partner Matthew Ebden, won the men’s doubles Australian Open title earlier this year. They also reached the semifinals of the 2024 French Open.
However, Bopanna and Balaji’s debut as a pair this year at the Hamburg Open didn’t go as planned, as they were eliminated in the first round.
Dhinidhi Desinghu: India’s youngest at Paris Games
Bengaluru’s 14-year-old swimmer, Dhinidhi Desinghu, is set to make history as India’s youngest athlete at the upcoming games. She qualified through the universality quota granted by the Olympic Games Tripartite Commission, along with fellow swimmer Srihari Nataraj.
Desinghu will compete in the women’s 200m freestyle event, making her the second youngest Indian Olympian after Aarti Saha, who was just 11 years old when she participated in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Currently in the ninth grade, Desinghu has already demonstrated remarkable grit and dedication to her sport.
This won’t be her first major competition; she also competed in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou and the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha.