Incredible India bids goodbye to Commonwealth Games

New Delhi : Lighting wizardry, laser show and a dazzling cultural extravaganza capturing the best of Incredible Indian brought the curtains down on the 11-day Commonwealth Games as hosts India finished second on the medals? tally and conducted a near-perfect competition overcoming the hiccups of pre-opening glitches.

India?s third largest Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, awash with hues of all kinds, turned into a fairy land as fireworks lit up the sky and the giant aerostat, the helium balloon, loomed over the stadium like a massive canopy.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi were present along with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was a guest of honour.

After national anthem was played, the countdown for the closing ceremony of the 19th Games ended, followed a show called ? Agni- The Glory of Sports?, a tribute to India?s sporting spirit.

It featured the fiery and passionate traditions of Indian martial arts called Kalaripayattu (Karnataka), Naga warriors, Thang-Ta (Manipur), Gatka (Punjab), Silambam (Tamil Nadu), Akhda- wrestling ( Central India), Dhan Patta (Maharashtra) and Talwar Raas ( Gujarat).

This is followed by Military Marshal Music, showcasing the performances by 14 military bands, 17 Pipes and Drums of various regiments and battalions of the Indian Army.

A total of 650 musicians of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force participated in the Military Marshal Music display.

The Marshal Music was followed by Vandemataram- Tribute to Our Motherland where more than 2000 children dressed in white costumes flooded the field and created a Rangoli, albeit in the colours of the tricolour.

Then the athletes of Commonwealth Games 2010 entered the field together as one big contingent, signifying bonds and friendships formed during the Games.

There after the spirit of CWG 2010 was relived with a video that highlighted the golden moments of the game.

CWG Organising Committee (OC) Chairman Suresh Kalmadi then addressesed the audience.

“The sporting extravaganza is ending but the aftertaste will linger. It is not the end, but just the beginning. For India it is a new beginning in sports,” Kalmadi said.

It was followed by a goodbye to Shera, the macot of the Games.

Renowned Indian singer Shan entered the field with Shera in an open and decorated auto rickshaw.

Popular singer Shan sang to Shera on behalf of athletes and people of India, thus bidding him good bye for Glasgow, which will host the next version of CWG in 2014 then takes the centre stage with a genuine sense of fun and celebration.

Robert Winter, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, who was handed over the Commonwealth flag by the Lieutenant Governor of New Delhi, thanked the Indian authorities and welcomed all to Scotland in 2014.

Performers from all over Scotland proudly showcased their country?s spirit, culture and heritage.

The Glasgow segment began with a short video which played on the stadium screens. As the film ended, a lone piper dressed in a vibrant modern kilt began to play his pipe.

Then 352 performers dressed in tartan kilts moved towards the piper representing the whole of Scotland.

CWG Federation Chief Mike Fennell then presented the David Dixon Award to the outstanding athlete of this game- Jamaica’s Trecia Smith who has won a gold medal in triple jump.

The award is named after the former Honanary Secretary of the CWG Federation David Dixon .

Then Prince Edward, Vice Patron of CWG Federation, formally declared the game close saying: ?In the name of CWG Federation, I proclaim the XlX CWG Delhi 2010 closed. And in accordance with the tradition I call upon the sportsmen and sportswomen of the Commonwealth to assemble in four years time in Glasgow, Scotland to celebrate the 20th CWG.?

The announcement was followed by a spectacular laser show .

After the laser show, renowned Indian singers and musicians rendered popular songs from various genres and entertained the athletes of the CWG and the audience inside the stadium.

The artistes include Bickram Ghosh, Sivamani, Kailash Kher, Zila Khan, Sukhwinder, Ila Arun, Usha Uthup, Shan , Shiamak Davar. Shankar Mahadevan, Subha Mudgal, Sunidhi Chauhan.

Indian athletes fought hard to ensure that the country finish second at the final medals tally of the Commonwealth Games (CWG).

Thursday was the last day of the event and it was also the last chance for the Indian athletes to win more gold medals and lift India to the second spot by removing England from that position. And they did.

It became possible in the afternoon when Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal defeated Malaysian opponent Mew Choo Wong by 19-21, 23-21, 21-13 margin to grab the crucial gold medal that once again made India climb up the medals tally and reach the second spot with 38 gold medals, one ahead of England who have 37 gold medals.

Earlier, shuttlers Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa beat the top seeded pair of Shinta Mulia Sari and Lei Yao from Singapore by 21-16, 21-19 margin to clinch the badminton women?s double gold medal and help India tie with England who has 37 medals.

But Indian men?s hockey team suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Australians by 8-0 margin and had to finish their run at the CWG with the silver medal.

India won 38 gold medals, 27 silver and 36 bonze medals to finish at the second spot at the medals tally with a total of 101 medals.

Australia topped the list with 74 gold, 55 silver, 48 bronze and a total of 177 medals.

England, Canada and South Africa finished third, fourth and fifth in the list.

The host nation performed really well on their home soil and hopefully they will continue this wonderful performance in the upcoming Olympics as well.