For the opening ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018, which Indian sportsperson was chosen by the Indian Olympic Association as the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent?

Introduction / Context:
Major multi sport events such as the Commonwealth Games often feature symbolic roles like the flag bearer, where a leading athlete carries the national flag during the opening ceremony. This question focuses on India's participation in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 and asks which sportsperson the Indian Olympic Association selected as the flag bearer for the Indian contingent. It checks awareness of recent sports history and prominent Indian athletes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games held in 2018.
• The role in question is the flag bearer for the opening ceremony.
• Options list well known Indian women athletes from different sports.
• We assume that the Indian Olympic Association made a formal announcement naming one specific athlete as flag bearer.

Concept / Approach:
The correct approach is to recall news reports from early 2018. P. V. Sindhu, a top Indian badminton player and Olympic silver medallist, was chosen as the flag bearer for the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. While Saina Nehwal, Dipa Karmakar and Sakshi Malik are also decorated athletes, they were not given the flag bearing duty at this particular event. Therefore we identify P. V. Sindhu as the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note the event clearly: Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.Step 2: Recall the list of leading Indian athletes active around 2018, especially in badminton, wrestling and gymnastics.Step 3: Remember that P. V. Sindhu was widely reported in the media as the chosen flag bearer for India during the opening ceremony.Step 4: Compare this memory with the options provided.Step 5: Select P. V. Sindhu as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, one can link this fact with the timeline of Sindhu's achievements. She had recently won an Olympic silver medal in 2016 and continued to perform strongly in international badminton. Because of her high profile and inspirational image, she was a natural choice for such an honour. News articles and images from the opening ceremony show Sindhu leading the Indian contingent with the national flag, which confirms the correctness of this choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Dipa Karmakar is a celebrated gymnast, known for her performance at the Rio Olympics, but she was not the flag bearer at Gold Coast. Saina Nehwal is another star Indian badminton player, yet the flag bearing role for this event went to Sindhu. Sakshi Malik is an Olympic medal winning wrestler, but again not the chosen flag bearer here. Mary Kom is a famous boxer and a multiple time world champion, but she is included only as a plausible distractor and did not carry the flag in this particular opening ceremony.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students confuse different events such as Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, and may remember some athlete being a flag bearer without matching the correct year or tournament. Another pitfall is mixing up Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, as both are elite badminton players. Careful reading of the year and event name, together with remembering media coverage from that period, helps avoid these mistakes.

Final Answer:
The Indian Olympic Association chose P. V. Sindhu as the flag bearer of the Indian contingent for the opening ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018.