Excited, Bharat Kaura, Jt. Director General (Protocol), notes that people will forget Beijing when they witness the inaugural ceremony of Commonwealth games to be held at New Delhi between October 3rd and October 14th. “Vancouver should be forgotten too for different reasons,” Mr. Kaura says. Winter Olympic games were held in Vancouver earlier this year.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is shown the Queen's Baton by Sydney Benoît, a 10-year old Commonwealth Games hopeful, in the presence of current Commonwealth Games athlete Asmir Arifovic
Indian will be showcasing more than 5000 years of its civilization with modern technology in the opening ceremony. 10,000 artists Indian artists would be performing on stage. And athletes from more than 70 countries will be battling for more than 280 medals.
Asha Luthra Presdient of ICCC
India has invested more than $170 million into Indian athletes’ training, says Mr. Kaura. The goal is to beat Canada that won 3rd position in the last games. Australia was at the first place with most medals and England won the second place.
Mr.Bharat Kaura, Jt. Director General Protocol Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games
The latest equipment is given to the New Delhi Police to maintain law and order in Delhi during the games. Extensive security would be provided to athletes, athletes’ families, media, and foreign delegations. “Trust us,” says Mr. Kaura to the world. Green buses run on green energy would be replacing the old eye sore buses. There would be a dedicated lane for these buses for efficient transportation, he notes.
Mrs. Preeti Saran Indian Consul General,Toronto
While London is running on a very tight budget in anticipation of Olympics in 2012, Mr. Kaura notes that the government of India has spent $5.2 billion on infrastructure – to build roads, flyovers and underpasses.
Mr. Kaura along with other members of Indian delegation was speaking to Generation Next at the Rotunda at Toronto City Hall.
Earlier, the Queen’s Baton arrived in Canada and a Relay ceremony was held at Metro Hall, Toronto. The Queen’s Baton Relay is a traditional curtain raiser to the Games. Subsequently, the ICCC, the Consulate General of India in Toronto and the CII hosted a reception to honour athletes of Team Canada that would be participating in Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. ICCC is a bronze sponsor for Commonwealth Games Canada.
Asha Luthra, President, ICCC, BB Kaura, Joint Director, Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi and Renuka Singh, Director, International Relations, CII, signed the MoU on behalf of their organisations. Tarlochan Singh, Member of the Indian Parliament, was present at the signing.
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Canada at the XIX Commonwealth Games
Delhi, India October 3rd – 14th, 2010
- Team Canada’s planning and preparation for the Delhi Commonwealth Games is unprecedented. Athletes and coaches will benefit from new and stronger partnerships with a number of key organizations including Own the Podium, Coaches of Canada, Athletes CAN, and Sport Canada.
- Canada will send one of the largest teams to the Delhi Games, numbering 400 people including more than 250 athletes.
- Canada expects to finish in the top three nations in total medals, as it did four years ago in Melbourne, Australia. (Australia finished first, England second).
- The overall goal is to surpass the 87 medals Canada won in Australia in 2006 (26 gold, 30 silver, 31 bronze).
- The Delhi sport programme includes the following sports:
× Aquatics
- swimming, diving, synchro
× Archery
× Athletics
× Badminton
× Boxing
× Cycling
- road, track
× Gymnastics
- artistic, rhythmic
× Field Hockey
× Lawn Bowls
× Netball
× Rugby 7’s
× Shooting
× Squash
× Table Tennis
× Tennis
× Weightlifting
× Wrestling
- Canada will compete in all sports except Netball and Tennis.
- Canadians will compete in the following events for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD): Athletics, Swimming, and Table Tennis.
Author: Asma Amanat
