Lovlina Borgohain and Mary Kom
Lovlina Borgohain (LEFT) and Mary Kom seen with IWF .president Birendra Prasad Baishya in Olympic Games village.

An 88-member Indian contingent including boxers Mary Kom, Lovlina Borgohain and 52 other athletes arrived at Narita International Airport in Tokyo on Sunday.

Kurbey City representative reached airport to receive the Indian team.

While Mary Kom hails from Manipur, Lovlina Borgohain hails from Assam.

The athletes were given a formal send-off and best wishes on Saturday night at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by Union minister for youth affairs and sports Anurag Thakur and MoS for youth affairs and sports Nisith Pramanik.

Athletes and support staff in eight disciplines Badminton, Archery, Hockey, Judo, Swimming, Weightlifting, Gymnastics and Table Tennis departed from New Delhi to Tokyo on Saturday night, the Union youth affairs and sports ministry informed.

With 127 athletes, Tokyo Olympics will be India’s highest ever playing contingent.

Indian Weightlifting Federation president and former Rajya Sabha member from Assam, Birendra Prasad Baishya, the Chef de Mission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, welcomed the Indian contingent at the Olympic Games village.

During his address to Indian contingent at airport Union minister Anurag Thakur said Tokyo Olympics 2020 is a momentous occasion for the country and good wishes of 135 crore Indians are with the participating athletes.

The Union minister further told the athletes, “You are select few who are getting this great opportunity and have a long way to go in life, so must give your very best but without taking stress as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi also suggested.”

Union minister Thakur further said the athletes must remain strong because when they represent the country in a competition, it’s a battle of nerves and ultimately it’s their mental strength which will be reflected in their performance.

Apart from Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain, the other athletes from Northeast, who will represent India in Tokyo Olympics are Nilakanta Sharma, Sushila Chanu and Lalremsiami (Hockey), Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting), Tarundeep Rai (Archery) and Sushila Likmabam (Judo).