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Watch: Bindra leads India at Parade of Nations in Rio

Last updated on: August 06, 2016 10:38 IST

IMAGE: Beijing Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra leads the Indian contingent at the Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio Olympics at Maracana Stadium on Friday night. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Beijing Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, competing in his fifth Games, led the Indian contingent at the Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio Olympics on Friday night.

The Indian men were attired in navy blue blazers and trousers, white shirts and ties, while the women looked elegant in yellow and navy blue sarees.

The 33-year-old Bindra is till date India's only individual gold medallist at the Olympics.

The shooter achieved the feat when he clinched a historic gold in the 10-metre air rifle event at the Games in 2008.

Indian athletes have a busy day at the Games on Saturday.

The men’s hockey team kicks off its campaign with a math against Ireland.

India’s shooters are also in action, with in-form Jitu Rai hoping to launch the country's medal haul in an event which will also see his more illustrious senior colleague Abhinav Bindra aiming to end his glorious career on a high.

Success in shooting will be key to India's hopes of surpassing the London Olympics' six-medal haul, and the performance of Jitu and Bindra will be crucial to achieve that aim, while the likes of Gagan Narang, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Heena Sidhu and Apurvi Chandela can also fetch medals.

Tennis stars Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza play their opening matches.

Paes and Bopanna will take on the Polish pair of Marcin Matkowski and Lukas Kubot in the first round of the men's doubles.

In the women's draw, Sania Mirza and Prarthana Thombare start their women's doubles campaign against the Chinese pair of Peng Shuai and Shuai Zhang.

Check out the Indians’ schedule at the Games on Saturday.

MEN'S HOCKEY: (19:30 IST): India vs Ireland.

ROWING: (17:00 IST): Men's Single Sculls (Dattu Bhokanal Single).

SHOOTING: (17:00 IST): 10m Air Pistol: (Jitu Rai, Gurpreet Singh); (17:00 IST): 10m Air Rifle: (Apurvi Chandela, Ayonika Paul)

TABLE TENNIS: (17:30 IST): Men's Singles: (Achantha Sharath Kamal, Soumyajit Ghosh). Women: (Manika Batra, Mouma Das).

TENNIS: (23:00 IST): Men’s Doubles: Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna; Women’s Doubles: Sania Mirza, Prarthana Thombare.

WEIGHTLIFTING: (03:30 IST, Aug 7) Women: Saikhom Mirabi Chanu 48kg.

Rediff Sports Desk