Covid-hit Tokyo Olympics open sans customary razzle dazzle

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Athletes from India during the athletes' parade at the opening ceremony REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Flagbearers Harmanpreet Singh and Mary Kom Hmangte of India lead their contingent in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony REUTERS/Phil Noble

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Flag bearers Harmanpreet Singh of India and Mary Kom Hmangte of India lead their contingent during the athletes' parade at the opening ceremony REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Flag bearers Harmanpreet Singh of India and Mary Kom Hmangte of India lead their contingent during the athletes' parade at the opening ceremony REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Performers during the opening ceremony REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. A performer during the opening ceremony REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Japan's flag ahead of being raised during opening ceremony. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Performers during the opening ceremony REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. A flag of Japan is carried ahead of being raised during the opening ceremony REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

The 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony is scheduled to take place on 23 July 2021 at Olympic Stadium, Tokyo. It is expected to be formally opened by Emperor Naruhito. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings will combine the formal and ceremonial opening of this international sporting event, including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes, with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture and history.

The Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm IST.

The Tokyo Olympics have already broken new ground because of the 12-month delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic, pushing it into an odd-numbered year for the first time. But with no fans permitted in Japan, it has the distinction of being the first Games without spectators.

Though crowds are not allowed inside the National Stadium in Tokyo, fans have gathered around the venue.

The opening ceremony of the biggest sporting event in the world will only see a handful of athletes along with six officials representing India. The Indian delegation will have 19 athletes - comprising boxers, Table Tennis players, sailors, Bhavani Devi (fencing), Sajan Prakash (swimming), Pranati Nayak (gymnastics), Ankita Raina (Tennis) and Manpreet Singh (hockey).

The teams enter the stadium in alphabetical order according to the language selected by the organising committee, generally the dominant language in the host city.

Tokyo: Actors perform during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. AP/PTI(AP07_23_2021_000198B)

Indian contingent marches past at the Oympic Stadium before the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics 2020, in Tokyo, Friday, July 23, 2021. (PTI Photo) (PTI07_23_2021_000212B)

Indian athletes at the Oympic Stadium before the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics 2020, in Tokyo, Friday, July 23, 2021. (PTI Photo) (PTI07_23_2021_000214B)

Flag-bearer boxer MC Mary Kom with other Indian athletes at the Oympic Stadium before the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics 2020, in Tokyo, Friday, July 23, 2021. (PTI Photo) (PTI07_23_2021_000215A)

Indian Hockey captain Manpreet Singh and boxing legend MC Mary Kom.

Members of Indian contingent during Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. Fireworks explode at the opening ceremony REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi talks to World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom during the opening ceremony Pool via REUTERS/Leon Neal

New Delhi: Union Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Thakur cheers to Indian athletes during opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics 2020, from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, Friday, July 23, 2021. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)(PTI07_23_2021_000228B)