At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, who was the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony?

Introduction / Context:
During every Olympic Games opening ceremony, each country's contingent marches behind its national flag, which is carried by a distinguished athlete chosen as the flag-bearer. This role is an honour and often given to an experienced or historically significant sportsperson. This question asks which Indian athlete carried the flag at the Rio 2016 Olympics, a common point of sports current affairs.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
• The question is limited to the opening ceremony flag-bearer of India.
• Options include Narsingh Yadav, Abhinav Bindra, Dipa Karmakar, and Sania Mirza.
• We assume official Indian Olympic Association announcements and global telecast as the source of truth.

Concept / Approach:
Abhinav Bindra is India's first individual Olympic gold medallist (Beijing 2008, men's 10 m air rifle) and a highly respected shooter. For Rio 2016, he was chosen as the flag-bearer for India. While the other athletes are also high profile—Dipa Karmakar in gymnastics, Sania Mirza in tennis, and Narsingh Yadav in wrestling—none of them was selected for this symbolic role in that edition of the Games.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall who carried the Indian flag during the Rio 2016 opening ceremony. Step 2: Associate Abhinav Bindra with the honour of being India's first individual Olympic gold medallist and a senior figure by 2016. Step 3: Compare with other options: Dipa Karmakar was making her Olympic debut; Sania Mirza is a star tennis player; Narsingh Yadav was a wrestler with controversy around selection. Step 4: Remember official announcements naming Abhinav Bindra as the flag-bearer. Step 5: Select “Abhinav Bindra” as the answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Media coverage of the Rio 2016 opening ceremony, including photographs and videos, clearly shows Abhinav Bindra leading the Indian contingent, holding the national flag. The Indian Olympic Association's press releases and numerous exam-preparation guides confirm that he was the flag-bearer. None of the other listed athletes are described in official sources as having carried the flag in that ceremony.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Narsingh Yadav: A wrestler whose participation at Rio itself was overshadowed by legal and doping-related issues; he was not given the honour of flag-bearer.
• Dipa Karmakar: India's path-breaking gymnast, but she did not carry the flag at the opening ceremony.
• Sania Mirza: A highly accomplished tennis player, yet not the designated flag-bearer in Rio 2016.

Common Pitfalls:
Aspirants may confuse flag-bearers from different Olympic years or mix up the role with that of medal winners. Another pitfall is to assume that the most talked-about athlete, such as Dipa Karmakar for her Produnova vault, must have carried the flag. The correct approach is to remember that the honour often goes to an experienced, decorated athlete like Abhinav Bindra.

Final Answer:
At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony was Abhinav Bindra.