Curtains drawn on Tokyo Olympics, India's best ever

Wrestler Bajrang Punia led the Indian contingent out at the Olympic Stadium. India finished with seven medals, including a gold.

2 minBy Aarish Ansari
closing ceremony
(2021 Getty Images)

The closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics drew the curtains on India’s most successful Olympics ever.

India ended with a record seven medals – one gold, two silvers and four bronzes. Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Mirabai Chanu, Bajrang Punia, PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain and the men's hockey team finished with medals.

Bronze medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia was India’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony.

Athletes who were still in Tokyo made their way to the Olympic Stadium, dancing around to the lively background music during the parade of athletes.

The Indian contingent, dressed in their tracksuits, had silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Deepak Punia, Lalremsiami and others present amid the dazzling display of lights and music.

The theme of the closing ceremony was the ‘worlds we share’ concept, which expresses the idea that each of us inhabits their own world.

To exhibit the spirited outdoor culture of Japan, jugglers, dancers, football freestylers and BMX riders performed to the energetic medley by the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.

As per protocol, the Olympic flag was lowered and handed over by the governor of Tokyo, Koike Yuriko, to IOC president Thomas Bach, who passed it to Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, the host city of the next Olympics in 2024.

The ceremony ended with the ceremonial extinguishing of the Olympic flame.