PARIS: International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani, along with her husband Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, were spotted at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics on Friday.
Earlier this week, Nita Ambani was re-elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). She won unanimously with 100% of votes at the 142nd IOC session.
Speaking after her re-election, Nita Ambani expressed gratitude and said she was “deeply honoured to be re-elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee.”
“I would like to thank President Bach and all my colleagues in the IOC for their faith and trust in me. This re-election is not just a personal milestone but also a recognition of India’s growing influence in the global sporting arena. I share this moment of joy and pride with every Indian and look forward to continuing our efforts to strengthen the Olympic Movement in India and around the world,” she said.
Nita Ambani was first appointed to join the prestigious body in 2016, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Since then, as India’s first woman to join the IOC, Nita Ambani has already made great strides for the association, whilst also championing India’s sporting ambitions and Olympic vision. This includes recently hosting the first IOC session in Mumbai after over 40 years, in October 2023, which was hailed as showcasing the new, ambitious India to the world.
Meanwhile, for the first time in the history of the Summer Games, the opening ceremony of the Olympics was held outside the stadium.
The spectacular opening ceremony broke away from the convention by taking place outside the stadium.
Leading the Indian team were two-time medalist PV Sindhu and five-time Olympian Sharath Kamal. This is the first time in the summer event’s history that participants have sailed through a river to enter the Olympics.
The iconic French midfielder Zinedine Zidane made an appearance in a pre-recorded video carrying the Olympic flame to kickstart the opening ceremony. From Stade de France, he sprinted and carried the flame.
Before the Parade of Nations, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, were introduced at the Trocadero.
The 2024 Summer Olympics began on July 26 and will conclude on August 11 this year. (ANI)