Traditional Indian saree will be the official ceremonial uniform for India's female athletes at the Paris Olympics that are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11. The attire was last worn at the Rio Olympics back in 2016, eight years ago, paired with uncoordinated blue blazers. However, this time around, the women athletes will be wearing standalone pre-pleated ikat printed sarees.
According to a report in Times of India, the saree will be paired with the matching blouse pocket which will also have the Indian Olympics Association's (IOA) insignia. The blouse will be of saffron colour that will showcase the strength and courage of the country. As for the Ikat printed sarees, ikat is a method of printing woven fabric by tie-dying the warp yarns.
Meanwhile, the male athletes of the country will be turning up in kurta-pyjamas at the opening ceremony in Paris along with the matching bandi jackets which will have IOA insignia. The designs of the attire for both male and female athletes were approved on Tuesday (May 28) by the IOA even as the government pushed for traditional attire at the Games.
Interestingly, the traditional saree was discontinued after the Rio Olympics ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. At the Tokyo Games in 2021, women wore golden salwar suits with jackets while men dressed in indigenous jackets with high collars. India's male athletes have previously donned blazers over matching format trousers along with head turbans. However, the attire has been done away with this time and men for the first time will sport bandi jackets with kurta-pyjamas.
Attires for both men and women will have the impression of the Indian flag. Women athletes will be wearing saffron blouses while their ikat printed sarees will have green and orange colours. Male athletes will have the tricolor printed on the tape and lower panels of their bandi jacket.
