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Opening and closing ceremonies have become institutions of their own
For most Indians, the lasting impression of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, held in our very own backyard, is one of the corruption-tainted organizers. But today brings a chance to re-create a new lasting impression as the 2014 Games kick off in Scotland with what is being billed as a spectacular opening ceremony at Glasgow’s Celtic Park.
In recent years, the opening and closing ceremonies of sporting events have become serious business. An estimated 3 billion eyeballs are expected to tune in for the ceremony on Wednesday which will feature pop stars Rod Stewart, Susan Boyle, Amy MacDonald and classical violinist Nicola Benedetti, just a few names of the 2,000 strong cast on stage for the opening show, and one can expect plenty of fireworks... literally!!
The 2014 edition of the Games is one of the largest Commonwealth Games ever held with more than 6,500 athletes from 71 nations competing for 261 medals in 17 sports.
A billion-plus eyes on India’s contingent of athletes
India will be fielding 215 athletes, who will be competing in 14 of the 17 disciplines. At the last Games, India garnered its best ever haul of 101 medals, and the country will be aiming to match that this time. And with a stellar cast among its contingent, a 100+ medal tally does not seem far-fetched.
Notable Indian names to keep an eye out during the next week and a half are Ashish Kumar and Dipa Karmakar (gymnastics), Vijender Singh, L Devendro Singh and Manoj Kumar (men’s boxing), Pinki Jangra, Sarita Devi and Pooja Rani (women’s boxing), Vikas Gowda and Kamalpreet Singh (men’s athletics), Annu Rani and Krishna Poonia (women’s athletics), Vijay Kumar, Gagan Narang, Abhinav Bindra, Jitu Rai and Manavjit Singh Sandhu (men’s shooting), Heena Sidhu, Meena Kumari and Anisa Sayyed (women’s shooting), Sharath Kamal (men’s table tennis), K. Shamini (women’s table tennis), P V Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa (women’s badminton), Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt (men’s wrestling), Babita Phogat (women’s wrestling), Katulu Ravi Kumar and Sukhen Dey (men’s weightlifting) and Sanjita Chanu and Vandna Gupta (women’s weightlifting).
A special surprise in store for Indian viewers at the opening ceremony
Vijay Kumar, India's Olympic silver medallist shooter, will be India’s flag-bearer during the opening while London Olympics bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt has been kept as a reserve. But the biggest cheer for an Indian at Celtic Park is likely to be reserved for Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master will play a "special" part in the opening ceremony in his capacity as the Global Goodwill Ambassador of the UNICEF, which is partnering with the Commonwealth Games.
Pop star Nicole Scherzinger, cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, and footballing legend Sir Alex Ferguson will also be part of the UNICEF special. One of the other highlights of the ceremony is the installation of a 100 metre wide digital LED backdrop, which is being touted as the largest screen of its kind ever seen in Europe.
At the end of the say, it’s gotta be Scottish
David Zolkwe, the head of ceremonies, promises that the opening ceremony will have a distinct Scotttish flavour. "You will see a lot of Glaswegians and Scots, and a lot of people from further afield, and you will also hear them. We have a mass cast but we have set out to represent lots and lots of individuals. There is relatively little in the show that is about mass synchronicity. It's not about homogenising the city or asking them to pretend to be anything other than who they are. Given Glasgow is such a generous, hospitable, warm city, it seemed natural to think about how we behave as a host.”
The next 11 days promise to be an exciting and action-packed period. And for once, Indians can look forward to their athletes dominating at a global sporting event. Just remember not to ask Maria Sharapova if she is familiar with the Commonwealth Games!
Here’s a look back at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Games in Delhi. Can Glasgow surpass this spectacle? We’ll know one way or the other later today.
