The
2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the
XIX Commonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, were held in
DelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest
Commonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
till date. It was also the largest international
multi-sport eventA multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
to be staged in Delhi and India, eclipsing the
Asian GamesThe Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
in
1951The 1951 Asian Games, officially known as the First Asian Games, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Delhi, India from 4 to 11 March 1951. The Games received names like First Asiad and 1951 Asiad by the president of the organising committee Anthony de Mello...
and
1982The 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:...
. The
openingThe opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main stadium of the event, in New Delhi, India...
and closing ceremonies were held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main stadium of the event. It was the first time that the Commonwealth Games were held in India and the second time it was held in Asia after
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia in
1998The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
. The official mascot of the Games was
Shera and the official song of the Games, "
Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto"Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto" is a song by Indian musician A. R. Rahman. It was the official anthem for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which was held in Delhi, India between October 3 October and 14 October 2010. The highly anticipated song was released on August 28 for digital download, receiving notably...
", was composed by celebrated Indian musician A.R. Rahman.
Preparation for the Games received widespread international media attention, with criticism being levelled against the organisers for the
slow pace of workA number of concerns and controversies surfaced before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, which received widespread media coverage both in India and internationally....
, as well as issues related to security and hygiene. However, all member nations of the
Commonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
participated in the event, except
FijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, which is suspended from the Commonwealth, and
TokelauTokelau is a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400...
, which didn't send a team, in spite of threats of boycotts and athlete withdrawals. The internationally acclaimed
opening ceremonyThe opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main stadium of the event, in New Delhi, India...
improved the image of the Games, and dispelled negative notions surrounding them, with many observers remarking that they began on an apprehensive note, but were an exceptional experience with a largely positive ending. The President of the
International Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
,
Jacques RoggeJacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
, said that India had made a good foundation for a future Olympics bid, which was reiterated by the Australian Ministry of Sports. Commonwealth games Federation chief Mike Fennell stated that "Delhi delivered a fantastic Games". Some observers accused sections of the media of bias, unfair expectations, and negative reporting.
The final
medal tallyThe 2010 Commonwealth Games , was a multi-sport event held in Delhi, India from 3 to 14 October 2010. It was the first time that India hosted the Commonwealth Games and the second time it was held in Asia after Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998...
was led by
AustraliaAustralia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.-Medalists:| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|| style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|-Diving:Australia's diving team consists of 12 divers-Men:-Women:-Swimming:...
. The host nation India had its
best performance everIndia hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games which were held in Delhi. India won 101 medals in total, including 38 Gold medals, enabling it to finish the Games at second position behind Australia and just ahead of England. For the first time in the history of the Games India won over 100 medals in total...
to finish second.
Bidding
The two principal bids for the 2010 Commonwealth Games were from Delhi, India and
Hamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada. A ballot of members was held in November 2003 at the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly in
Montego BayMontego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
, Jamaica. Delhi bid won by a margin of 46 votes to 22, confirming India's first successful bid for the Games. The bid was Canada's attempt to hold the games for the fifth time. India's bid motto was
New Frontiers and Friendships.
India shifted the balance in its favour in the second round of voting with a promise that it would provide US$100,000 to each participating country, along with air tickets, boarding, lodging and transport. The successful
2003 Afro-Asian GamesThe 2003 Afro-Asian Games, officially known as the First Afro-Asian Games or I Afro-Asian Games and unofficially known as the Inaugural Afro-Asian Games, was a major international multi-sport event held in Hyderabad, India, from October 24 to November 1, 2003.The Afro-Asian Games...
held in Hyderabad was also seen as having showed India has the resources, infrastructure and technical know-how to stage a big sporting event. India also thanked Latif Butt, former vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia, for his support in the winning bid, by saying, "You played a vital role in the Commonwealth Games 2010 being allotted to India. Such actions are worthy of emulation by all concerned in Pakistan and India. I have no doubt that if both sides continue to live by such ideals, one day, sooner than later our generations to come will reap the benefits of and be grateful to those making such contributions. You would certainly be such person." The Indian government stated that it would underwrite the total cost of the Games.
Organisation
Organising committee
The organisation of CWG 2010 was beset by delays: in January 2010, the Indian Olympic Association vice-chairman Raja Randhir Singh expressed concern that Delhi was not up to speed in forming and organising its games committee and, following a 2009 Indian Government report showing two thirds of venues were behind schedule, Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell stated that the slow progress of preparations represented a serious risk to the event. Singh also called for a revamp of the games' organising committees:
Jarnail SinghJarnail Singh is a retired English association football referee of Indian descent who officiates in the Football League. He moved to Wolverhampton, West Midlands, at a young age, and now lives in Hounslow, Greater London...
,
a former Secretary of the Government of India, was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and
Indian Olympic AssociationThe Indian Olympic Association is the body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams at the events...
president
Suresh KalmadiSuresh Kalmadi is an Indian politician and senior sports administrator. He was formerly a member of the Indian National Congress...
was appointed as head of the committee. In spite of delays and the corruption cases levied on the organisors, commentators stated that they were confident that India will successfully host the games and do so on time.
At the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay in October 2009, the Business Club of India (BCI) was formed through the partnership of the organising committee, the
Confederation of Indian IndustryThe Confederation of Indian Industry is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organisation, seeking to play a proactive role in India’s development process. The organisation works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India,...
(CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The BCI was formed to both market the Games and promote Indian business interests internationally.
Costs
The initial total budget estimated by the
Indian Olympic AssociationThe Indian Olympic Association is the body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams at the events...
in 2003 for hosting the Games was . In 2010, however, the official total budget soon escalated to an estimated , a figure which excluded non-sports-related infrastructure development.
Business TodayBusiness Today is an Indian fortnightly business magazine published by Living Media India Limited, in publication since 1992. It had a second quarter 2010 readership of 338,000 per issue, ninth among English language magazines surveyed.-External links:...
magazine estimated that the Games cost . The 2010 Commonwealth Games are reportedly the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever.
Transport
A four-lane flyway, 2.2 km stretch from
Lodhi RoadLodhi Road in New Delhi, India, is named after the Lodhi Gardens located on it. Two Mughal mausoleums, Humayun's Tomb and Safdarjung's Tomb, lie at the eastern and western ends of the road respectively. A number of cultural, educational, and international institutions line the road...
to trans-Yamuna, linking the Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was constructed which reduced the travelling time between the village and the Stadium to six minutes.
In response to concerns over the large number of trains that pass by the Delhi metropolitan region daily, construction of road under-bridges and over-bridges along railway lines have been completed. To expand road infrastructure, flyovers, cloverleaf flyovers, and bridges were built to improve links for the Games and city in general. Road-widening projects have begun with an emphasis being placed on expanding national highways. To improve traffic flow on existing roads, plans are underway to make both the inner and outer Ring roads signal free.
To support its commitment to mass transport, nine corridors have been identified and are being constructed as High Capacity Bus Systems (for example, one from Ambedkar Nagar to Red Fort). Six of these corridors are expected to be operational in 2010. Additionally, The
Delhi MetroDelhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region of India. It is one of the largest metro networks in the world. The network consists of six lines with a total length of with 142 stations of which 35 are underground...
had been expanded to accommodate more people and boost the use of public transport during the 2010 games. The metro has extended to
GurgaonGurgaon is the second largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. Gurgaon is the industrial and financial center of Haryana. It is located 30 km south of national capital New Delhi, about 10 kilometers from Dwarka Sub City and 268 km south of Chandigarh, the state capital...
and the
NoidaNoida , short for the New Okhla Industrial Development Area, is an area in India under the management of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority . Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". It was set up as part of an urbanization...
area. For this large increase in the size of the network, Delhi Metro had deployed 14
tunnel boring machineA tunnel boring machine also known as a "mole", is a machine used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata. They can bore through anything from hard rock to sand. Tunnel diameters can range from a metre to almost 16 metres to date...
s.
Radio Frequency IdentificationRadio-frequency identification is a technology that uses radio waves to transfer data from an electronic tag, called RFID tag or label, attached to an object, through a reader for the purpose of identifying and tracking the object. Some RFID tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the...
(RFID) was used to tag vehicles in venue parking lots to help organize mass parking and increase security.
Indira Gandhi International AirportIndira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in West Delhi, 16 km southwest of New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India in...
is being modernised, expanded, and upgraded. Costing nearly $1.95 billion, Terminal 3 has improved airport passenger capacity to more than 37 million passengers a year by 2010. A new runway has been constructed, allowing for more than 75 flights an hour. At more than 4400 metres long, it will be one of Asia's longest. The airport has been connected to the city via a six-lane expressway (Delhi–Gurgaon Expressway) and the $580 million Delhi Airport Metro Express line.
Green Games
The organisers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Environment Programme to show the intention to host a "sustainable games" and to take the environment into consideration when constructing and renovating venues.
Thyagaraj StadiumThe Thyagaraj Sport Complex is a sports stadium in New Delhi, India. It is owned by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, and was built from scratch at a cost of Rs. 300 crore .It was designed by leading architects PTM of Australia and Kapoor&Associates of Delhi...
is intended to be a key example of environmentally considered construction.
In opposition to this intention, a number of environmental controversies arose and the adverse ecological impact of various aspects of the games have been protested by city residents. City residents filed a public interest petition to the
Supreme Court of IndiaThe Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
against the felling of 'heritage' trees in the
Siri FortSiri Fort, in the city of New Delhi, was built during the rule of Ala-ud-Din Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate to defend the city from the onslaught of the Mongols....
area to make way for Games facilities. The court appointed architect
Charles CorreaCharles Correa is an Indian architect, planner and activist.-Early life:Charles Correa was born in Hyderabad, India...
to assess the impact and he severely criticised the designs on ecological grounds. In spite of this, in April 2009 the Supreme Court allowed the construction on the grounds that "much time had been lost" and "the damage already caused to the environment could not be undone".
The Commonwealth Games village, located on the flood plains of the
YamunaThe Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
, has also been the subject of controversies about the flouting of ecological norms. After a prolonged legal battle between city residents and the state, construction was permitted to continue on the basis of an order of the Supreme Court of India in July 2009, which held that the government had satisfied the requirements of "due process of the law" by issuing public notice of its intention to begin construction work in September 1999 (a date four years prior to the acceptance of Delhi's bid for the games).
Other preparation
In preparation for an influx of English-speaking tourists for the Games, the Delhi government is implementing a program to teach English, and the necessary skills for serving tourists, to key workers—such as cab drivers, security workers, waiters, porters, and service staff. In the two years prior to the Games 2,000 drivers were taught English. The program aims to teach 1,000 people English per month in the hope of reaching all key workers by March 2010. In addition to Delhi, the Indian Government plans to expand the program to teach people in local tourist destinations in other parts of India.
To facilitate hassle-free sightseeing in Delhi,
Delhi TourismDelhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation is an undertaking of the Government of Delhi, India, that was established in December 1975 for the purpose of promoting tourism and related services in the city of Delhi. It has an authorized share capital of Rs. 10.00 crores and a paid up...
is undertaking the launch of India's very first Hop On Hop Off bus known as
HOHO DELHI, modeled on popular concept of transport facilities in Western countries. The bus, which is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies like digital video screens and GPS systems, also has trained guides who will be responsible for giving information about the sites. The purple-coloured air-conditioned buses will commence from 1 October 2010, to 2020 as per the license issued.
To prepare for the energy-usage spike during the Games and to end chronic power cuts in
DelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, the government is undertaking a large power-production initiative to increase power production to 7,000 MW (from the current 4,500 MW). To achieve this goal, the government plans to streamline the power distribution process, direct additional energy to Delhi, and construct new power plants. In fact, the government has promised that by the end of 2010, Delhi will have a surplus of power.
In addition to physical preparation, India will offer free accommodation for all athletes at the Games Village, as well as free transport and other benefits, such as a free trip to the famed
Taj MahalThe Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
and a reserved lane for participants on selected highways. The Games Village will house over 8,000 athletes and officials for the Games. Indian states will train state police forces to handle tourist-related issues and deploy them prior to the Games. A large-scale
construction and "beautification" project has resulted in the demolition of hundreds of homes and the displacement of city dwellers—at least 100,000 of New Delhi’s 160,000 homeless people have removed from shelters, some of which have been demolished. Bamboo screens have been erected around city slums to separate visitors from the sights of the slums, a practice which human rights campaigners have deemed dishonest and immoral.
The
Delhi High CourtThe High Court of Delhi was established on 31 October 1966. The High Court of Delhi was established with four judges. They were Chief Justice K. S. Hegde, Justice I. D. Dua, Justice H. R. Khanna and Justice S. K. Kapur.-History:...
is set to implement a series of "mobile courts" to be dispatched throughout Delhi to relocate migrant beggars from Delhi streets. The mobile courts would consider each beggar on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the beggar should be sent back to his/her state of residence, or be permitted to remain in government-shelters.
Mascot
The official mascot for the 2010 Commonwealth Games is
Shera, an anthropomorphised tiger. His name comes from "Sher", a
hindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
word meaning tiger (Hindi "Bagh" means tiger. However, Sher is colloquially used for both lion and tiger). The logo and the look for the games were designed by
Idiom Design and ConsultingIdiom Design and Consulting is a design firm and consultancy based in Bangalore, India. Idiom has designed over 100 brands and of retail space.-History:Idiom Design and Consulting was founded in 2005 with the merger of E-sign and Tessaract....
.There is one song for Shera also composed by
the popular composer of INDIA the song contains initiative "Shera Shera"
The mascot Shera is visiting many schools across Delhi to create enthusiasm and interest for the Commonwealth Games being held .
Official song
The official song of the 2010 Commonwealth Games "
Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto"Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto" is a song by Indian musician A. R. Rahman. It was the official anthem for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which was held in Delhi, India between October 3 October and 14 October 2010. The highly anticipated song was released on August 28 for digital download, receiving notably...
" was composed and performed by the
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n musician
A. R. RahmanAllah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
. The song's title is based on the slogan of the games, "Come out and play". The song is penned by Mehboob in Hindi with a sprinkling of English words. It was released on 28 August 2010. The music video, directed by Bharath Bala was released on 23 September and featured a shorter version of the song.
A. R. Rahman also gave a live concert for the theme song in Gurgaon, Haryana which was previewed on various news channels . The official video of the song has been released on YouTube .
Queen's Baton relay
The
Queen's Baton RelayThe Queen's Baton Relay, similar to the Olympic Torch Relay, is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The Relay traditionally begins at Buckingham Palace in London...
began when the baton, which contains Queen Elizabeth II's message to the athletes, left
Buckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 29 October 2009. The baton arrived at the 2010 Games opening ceremony on 3 October 2010, after visiting the other 54 nations of the Commonwealth and travelling throughout India, reaching millions of people to join in the celebrations for the Games.The baton arrived in India on 25 June 2010 through the Wagah Border crossing from Pakistan.
The baton was designed by Michael Foley, a graduate of the National Institute of Design. It is a triangular section of aluminium twisted into a
helixA helix is a type of smooth space curve, i.e. a curve in three-dimensional space. It has the property that the tangent line at any point makes a constant angle with a fixed line called the axis. Examples of helixes are coil springs and the handrails of spiral staircases. A "filled-in" helix – for...
shape and then coated with coloured soils collected from all the regions of India. The coloured soils are a first for the styling of a Queen's Baton. A jewel-encrusted box was used to house the Queen's message, which was laser-engraved onto a miniature 18 carat gold leaf—representative of the ancient Indian 'patras. The Queen's baton is ergonomically contoured for ease of use. It is 664 millimetres (26.1 in) high, 34 millimetres (1.3 in) wide at the base, and 86 millimetres (3.4 in) wide at the top and weighs 1900 grams (67 oz).
The Queen's baton has a number of technological features including:
- The ability to capture images and sound
- Global positioning system
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
(GPS) technology so the baton's location can be tracked
- Embedded light emitting diodes (LEDs) which will change into the colours of a country’s flag whilst in that country
- A text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
capability so that people can send messages of congratulations and encouragement to the baton bearers throughout the relay
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main stadium of the event, in New Delhi, India. It began at 7:00 pm (
ISTIndian Standard Time is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time or other seasonal adjustments, although DST was used briefly during the Sino–Indian War of 1962 and the Indo–Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971...
) on 3 October 2010. The opening ceremony was directed by Ganapathy Bharat, known commonly as
Bharat BalaGanapathy Bharat, known commonly as Bharat Bala is an acclaimed Tamil film director, screenwriter and film producer based in Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.-Career:...
, an acclaimed Tamil film director, screenwriter and film producer based in Kodambakkam,
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. The ceremony featured over 8,000 performers, and lasted for two-and-a-half hours. It is estimated that 350 crores (US$77 million) were spent to produce the ceremony.
The ceremony was divided into six separate segments, each showcasing the rich, ancient and diverse cultures of India, including art, traditions, dances, music and colors. The ceremony began with a showcase of a variety of drummers from all parts of India, accompanied by 7-year-old
tablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
player Keshav. The countdown took place on a screen in the stadium, and was accompanied by fireworks. The center-piece of the ceremony was the helium
aerostatAn aerostat is a craft that remains aloft primarily through the use of buoyant lighter than air gases, which impart lift to a vehicle with nearly the same overall density as air. Aerostats include free balloons, airships, and moored balloons...
, which acted as a giant 360° screen for spectators. The ceremony showcased a fusion of various classical dances from all parts of India, mehendi decorations, sand paintings and
yogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
. The title song was performed, live, by A R Rahman. Noted Indian singer
HariharanHariharan may refer to:* Hariharan , ghazal and playback singer from India* Hariharan , Malayalam film director* Githa Hariharan , Indian author and editor based in New Delhi...
sang the welcome song for the Games, titled
Swagatam, with thousands of school-children.
Prince Charles,
Prince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
(representing Queen Elizabeth II as
Head of the CommonwealthThe Head of the Commonwealth heads the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organisation which currently comprises 54 sovereign states. The position is currently occupied by the individual who serves as monarch of each of the Commonwealth realms, but has no day-to-day involvement in the...
) and
President of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
Pratibha PatilPratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
officially declared the Games open. Prime Minister
Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
of the host nation, India, attended the opening ceremony as well. A total of three heads of state from outside India attended the opening ceremony; two from
Commonwealth nations and one from a non-Commonwealth nation. The three head of states were
Mohamed NasheedMohamed Nasheed is a Maldivian politician. He is the current President of the Maldives. He is the founder of the Maldivian Democratic Party and was its presidential candidate in the October 2008 presidential election, defeating long-time President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in a second round of voting...
,
President of the MaldivesThe President of the Maldives is the Head of State and Head of Government and first citizen of the Republic of Maldives and the Supreme Commander of the Maldivian armed forces.The current President of the Republic of Maldives is Mohamed Nasheed....
,
Marcus StephenMarcus Stephen was President of the Republic of Nauru from December 2007 to November 2011. In addition to the presidency, he held the offices of Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, Minister for Police, Prisons, & Emergency Services, and Minister for Public...
,
President of NauruThe President of Nauru is elected by Parliament from amongst its members. He is both the head of state and head of government of Nauru. Nauru's unicameral Parliament has 18 members, with an electoral term of 3 years. Political parties only play a minor role in Nauru politics, and there has often...
and a multiple Commonwealth gold medallist, and Prince Albert II of Monaco, whose country Monaco is not a member of the Commonwealth. As well,
Sir Anand SatyanandSir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
, the Governor General of New Zealand (the first of Indian descent), attended the ceremony.
The opening ceremony received widespread national and international praise from the media and spectators. Newspapers in Commonwealth nations such as
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
BritainThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
called the ceremony dazzling and awe-inspiring. The ceremony has been widely attributed to change the view of the international press about the Games.
Sports
There were events in 21 disciplines across 17 sports for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
- Aquatics
-
DivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
-
Swimming
-
Synchronised swimming
- Cycling
-
_pictogram.svg.png)
RoadRoad bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
-
_pictogram.svg.png)
TrackTrack cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
- Gymnastics
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Artistic gymnasticsArtistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
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Rhythmic gymnasticsRhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
KabaddiKabaddi is a South Asian team sport...
was a demonstration sport at the Games.
TriathlonA triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
was excluded from the games as there was no suitable location for the swimming stage. The organisers have also removed basketball, but included
archeryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, tennis and
wrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
.
CricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, although in strong demand, did not make a come-back as the
Board of Control for Cricket in IndiaThe Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered at Mumbai, is the national governing body for all cricket in India. It's not the apex governing body in India. The board was formed in December 1928 as BCCI replaced Calcutta Cricket Club. BCCI is a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu...
were not keen on a
Twenty20Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
tournament, and the organisers did not want a one day tournament.
Medal table
Only the top ten nations by medal rank are shown in this medal table. Nations are ranked first by count of gold medals, then silver medals, then bronze medals. For the full medal table, see the main
articleThe 2010 Commonwealth Games , was a multi-sport event held in Delhi, India from 3 to 14 October 2010. It was the first time that India hosted the Commonwealth Games and the second time it was held in Asia after Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998...
.
Closing ceremony
The games closed on 14 October 2010 in a colourful closing ceremony featuring both Indian and Scottish performers. The closing ceremony was not as well received as the opening ceremony. The Commonwealth Games flag was handed over to representatives of
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland, which will host the
XX Commonwealth GamesThe 20th Commonwealth Games in 2014 will be held in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The winning city was announced by the Commonwealth Games Federation on 9 November 2007 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Games will run over 11 days of competition from 24 July to 3 August 2014...
in 2014.
At the closing ceremony, the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation declared that Delhi had hosted a "truly exceptional Games". A day after the ceremony,
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's First Minister Alex Salmond stated that "[Scotland] is highly impressed with Delhi's success in holding the multi-sport event,[...] Delhi hosted a very successful Commonwealth Games. It will be a challenge to emulate".
Participating nations
There were 71 participating nations at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. As
FijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
was suspended from the
CommonwealthThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, it was banned from participating in the Games. Rwanda fielded a team for the games for the first time after becoming a Commonwealth member in 2009. Numbers of athletes are shown in brackets.
TokelauTokelau is a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400...
was initially expected to compete, but did not do so.
(12) (17) (377) (24) (70) (39) (9) (14) (49) (2) (12) (20) (251) (17) (31) (56) (15) (365)
(15) (17) (64) (15) (10) (43) (34) (495) (33) (48) (33) (136)(17) (10) (43) (203) (28) (22)
(55) (5) (10) (30) (6) (192) (101) (24) (22) (80) (54) (79) (22) (4) (7) (13)(14) (53)
(191) (26) (31) (68) (12) (113) (94) (11) (40) (22) (82) (8) (3) (65) (14) (175) (22)
Venues
Events took place at 12 competition venues. A total of 20 training venues were used in the Games. Of these 20, one was used for archery; three for aquatics; two for lawn bowls; two for netball; eight for rugby sevens, including seven venues within Delhi University; two for shooting; one for squash; two for table tennis; one for weightlifting, three for wrestling and two for tennis.
The Commonwealth Games Village provided accommodation and training for athletes of the Games, and was opened from 23 September to 18 October 2010. It is located along the east bank of the River Yamuna, in proximity to competition and training venues as well as city landmarks, and is spread over an area of 63.5 hectares (156.9 acre). Comprising five main zones—the Residential Zone, the International Zone, the Training Area, the Main Dining and the Operational Zone—the Games Village, which is a non-smoking zone, is universally accessible particularly to accommodate
para-sportDisabled sports are sports played by persons with a disability, including physical and intellectual disabilities. As many of these based on existing sports modified to meet the needs of persons with a disability, they are sometimes referred to as adapted sports...
athletes.
There were three main non-competition venues in the Games, besides the Commonwealth Games Village (see above); namely the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Headquarters (OC CWG Delhi 2010), the Main Media Centre, and the Games Family Hotel, Hotel Ashok.
Concerns and controversies
Several concerns were raised over the preparations of the Games and these included excessive budget overruns, likelihood of floods in Delhi due to heavy
monsoonMonsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rains, infrastructural compromise, poor living conditions at the Commonwealth Games Village, delays in construction of the
main Games' venuesThe 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 nations in the Commonwealth of Nations competed in 272 events in 21 sports...
, the withdrawal of prominent athletes, widespread corruption by officials of the Games' Organising Committee and possibility of a terrorist attack by militants.
The negative pre-event publicity and heavy security presence played in part in low spectator attendance during the initial events. However the numbers picked up as the Games progressed.
Formation of dedicated investigation committee
The day after the conclusion of the Games, the Indian Government announced the formation of a special committee to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement against the Organising Committee. The probe committee will be led by former
Comptroller and Auditor General of IndiaThe Comptroller and Auditor General of India is an authority, established by the Constitution of India, who audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and the state governments, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government. The CAG is...
VK Shunglu. This probe will be in addition to the
Central Bureau of InvestigationThe Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
, Enforcement Directorate, and
Central Vigilance CommissionCentral Vigilance Commission is an apex Indian governmental body created in 1964 to address governmental corruption. It has the status of an autonomous body, free of control from any executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, and...
investigations already underway. The
Prime Minister of IndiaThe Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
,
Dr Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
had promised in mid-August, when reports of the bungling first surfaced, that corrupt officials will be given "severe and exemplary" punishment after the Games. The probe committee is tasked with looking into "all aspects of organising and conducting" the Games, and "to draw lessons from it." It has been given three months time to submit its report. The
Indian Sports MinistryThe Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, a branch of the Government of India, which administers Department of youth affairs and Department of Sports in India. The ministry also overlooks the organisation of Commonwealth 2010 games. As of September 2009, head of the ministry is the Minister of...
has directed the Organising Committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Games (led by Suresh Kalmadi), to not release any staffer from their positions till the probe committee's work is finished.
Terrorist attack plans
On 10 October 2010, the Indian government received detailed reports from the United States
Central Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) that
Lashkar-e-TaibaLashkar-e-Taiba – also transliterated as Lashkar-i-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Lashkar Taiba or LeT – is one of the largest and most active militant Islamist terrorist organizations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan.It was founded by Hafiz Muhammad...
and Al Qaida were planning to attack a luxury hotel in Delhi and a games venue on 12 or 13 October. In response, the Central Government increased security at Delhi's top eight hotels and 80 trucks of sand were checked "shovel by shovel" for hidden bombs and grenades.
Legacy
India is largely a single-sport country, with
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
far outstripping all other sports in terms of the talent, sponsorships, spectator support, and media attention it receives. The
Indian cricket teamThe Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
is currently (24 August 2011) ranked world number two in
Test cricketTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
. One of the important aims of hosting the Commonwealth Games was to build world-class athletics infrastructure within the nation, expose audiences to top-level non-cricket competition, and encourage the youth to "Come out and play" (the official theme of the games). Building a sporting culture that looks beyond cricket is seen as an important task for a country which won its first ever
individual Olympic gold medalAbhinav Singh Bindra is an Indian shooter from Zirakpur, Mohali, Punjab and is the current World and Olympic champion in the 10 m Air Rifle event...
only in
Beijing 2008The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, despite having the world's second-largest population.
Lord Sebastian Coe, former Olympic Champion and chairman of the
2012 London OlympicsThe 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
Organising CommitteeThe London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is a limited company, owned by the Government of the United Kingdom, that will oversee the planning and development of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. After the successful London 2012 Olympic bid, LOCOG was...
, was at the stadium during the 4x400m women's relay, and witness to the deafening cheers for the racers. He described it as "potentially the moment that could change the course of athletics in Asia, the moment that could inspire thousands of people who'd never even seen an athletics track before to get involved." He added that "To build a truly global capacity in sport, you have to take it round the world – out of your own backyard. That means taking risks and facing challenges, but it has to be done."
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