Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony Highlights: Mesmerising mix of art and AI

Men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and woman boxer Lovlina Borgohain were India's flag bearers at the Asian Games 2023 opening ceremony which was a mix of tradition meeting technology

8:02 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: A mesmerizing mix of tradition and technology comes to an end

7:39 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: It comes to an end

 

A wonderful mix of everything from AI to culture to athletes and the biggest torch-bearer lighting the Asian Games flame highlighted the closing ceremony which has come to an end with crackers being burst in the skies of Hangzhou. 

 

7:33 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Digital torchbearer lights the flame

 

The digital torch bearer an Artificial Intelligence-created human body, who represented more than 1 million people who lit the torch digitally on the website, lit the cauldron- the official flames at the Big Lotus adding to the vibes of a great ceremony. 

 

7:29 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: The digital torch lighting ceremony

 

The digital torch-lighting ceremony now takes place as flames are being lit from one to the other. At the same time, an AI version of a torch bearer runs towards the stadium from Hangzhou and he will be joined by former athletes present at the stadium. 

 

The digital torchbearer now crosses the Qiantang river and now joins the athletes at the stadium. 

 

7:25 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Welcome of athletes through dance

 

The happy smiles of the kids and people representing all ages are performing a welcome dance for nearly 12000 athletes who have arrived at the capital city of Zhejiang province- Hangzhou

 

7:21 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: How many segments are there in the ceremony?

 

The Hangzhou Asian Games' opening ceremony is underway. The program consists of 15 segments, which include the parade of athletes and the lighting of the cauldron.

 

The opening day of the Hangzhou Asian Games aligns with the Autumn Equinox, one of China's 24 solar terms. It symbolizes harvest and reunion in the Chinese culture.

 

7:17 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: What can the Bridge contingent of India offer?

 

As the cultural programs progress during the official opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2023, here’s what the Bridge contingent of India is made up of. 

 

Read more here 

 

7:11 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Watch short glimpse of entire athletes' parade

7:10 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: The beautiful pictures from Hangzhou

 

After the water show and the athletes' parade comes the mountain show 

7:07 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: The show gets better with passage of time

7:03 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Indian contingent in their traditional attires

7:00 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: The importance of opening ceremony on September 23

6:55 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Athletes oath taken

 

Two Chinese athletes take the oath in the name of all athletes after the flag of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is unfurled. 

 

6:52 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Xi Jinping officially declares the games open

6:35 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: How the Indian team entered athletes parade

6:32 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: China are the last nation to enter the athletes parade

 

Vietnam, another stringent NOC contingent wetter the Hangzhou Olymoics Sports Complex. They started participating in Asian Games in 1954 and their best showing has been in Swimming and Taekwondo. 

 

Yemen are next and last before China enters 

 

China enters the stadium. They have more than 3000 medals and Xi Jinping stands up to welcome them. China have 36 Olympic champions in their contingent. 

 

They had won 198 gold medals in Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games. 

 

6:26 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Strong Uzbeki contingent enters the parade

 

The United Arab Emirates are the next to enter. They have improved a lot and after entering the games for the first time in 1978, they have won seven gold medals so far. 

 

343 players form the contingent of Uzbekistan which is one of the strongest nations with 83 gold medals since starting their journey in 1994 only. They won 20 gold medals in Jakarta-Palembang. 

 

6:23 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: And the athletes parade continues

 

Chinese Taipei are the next and they would be looking for their 100th gold medal and Chinese President Xi Jinping is shown on the screen. 

 

Tajikistan are the next to enter the athletes’ parade. 

 

Thailand are next to enter. Boxing and Shooting players are the flag bearers for Thailand. Thailand is one of the seven nations to participate in every Asian Games. 

 

Timor Leste or East Timor enter the stadium with their 27 athletes. They are yet to win a medal in the Asian Games. 

 

Turkmenistan are the next to enter the stadium. 

 

6:21 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Indian contingent during parade

6:19 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Singapore and Saudi Arabia in athletes parade

 

Saudi Arabia are the next in line and behind them come Singapore in their red jackets and brown pants. Sailing and Swimming are the best sports in Singapore. 

 

After Singapore enter Sri Lanka and then come Syria. Boxing is one of their biggest strengths. 

 

6:13 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Pakistan enter the stadium

 

After Pakistan came Palestine. The Philippines are next to enter the stadium. The Philippines will have a lot of contention in games like boxing. Qatar are the next to enter and they have women and men enter in their traditional dress. 

 

6:09 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Pakistan enter the stadium

 

Oman are the next to enter in their traditional whites with white headbands. And after Oman are Pakistan who have 200 athletes in their contingent. 

 

6:07 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Nepal enter with 253 athletes

 

After South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon and after that come another team which is part of China, but in sports have their own representation. After that are Malaysia, Mongolia and then Myanmar are the next. 

 

Myanmar will face India in football tomorrow 

 

Nepal have come with 253 athletes. 

 

6:00 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Korea enter Hangzhou stadium with 867 athletes

 

Kazakhstan are the next country after Japan. They are the only landlocked country in Asia. South Korea follow them with 867 athletes, the second largest after China, the hosts. 

 

5:55 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Japan enter stadium with 773 athletes

 

Post India, Indonesia and Iraq, two very strong sporting nations entered the stadium and now come Iraq. 

 

Japan with 773 athletes is one of the strongest nations in this Asina Games. Misaki Emura, a fencer is their flag bearer. 

 

Japan will also host the next Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya in 2026

 

5:51 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: India enter the stadium

 

The Indian flag enters the Hangzhou Olympics Sports Complex stadium with Harmanpreet Singh and Lovlina Borgohain holding the flag

 

The rallying cry for India is- Abki baar 100 par, which means that the target of medals is 100. The dress that the Indian athletes were wearing was designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technologies of India (NIFT)

 

5:48 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Hong Kong enter with 688 athletes

 

After Brunei come Cambodia with their 128-strong contingent. And then the North Koreans. 

 

688 athletes representing Hong Kong, China have entered the stadium which has erupted to welcome them. 

 

5:46 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Athletes parade begins

 

The athletes' parade began and after Afghanistan and Bahrain, Bangladesh entered and following them was Bhutan, another neighbour of India. The contingent of Bhutan is a small one- only 28 members in the contingent. 

 

From Brunie, only 11 players form part of the contingent. 

 

5:41 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Things to watch out now

 

Post the water show and the national flag and national anthem of the Chinese nation being shown, these are the remaining things to watch out for and of course, there is the athletes' parade 

 

5:38 PM

Asian Games 2023, Opening ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Indian energy has reached Hangzhou