Indians emerge out of gloom with colourful Games opening
By Sudipto Ganguly
NEW DELHI | Sun Oct 3, 2010 11:54pm IST
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indians were left beaming with pride at what their country can deliver after the poor organisation leading up to the Commonwealth Games was briefly forgotten with a glittering opening ceremony on Sunday.
"When you have guests over at your place, you put out the best you have on offer. We have done that as a city, we have given our best," Veena Seth, a housewife, told Reuters at the 60,000-strong Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The Delhi Commonwealth Games have been hit by one controversy after another. Corruption, mismanagement, hygiene and security issues have plagued the build-up to the 19th and the biggest Games.
However, those who turned out to watch the opening ceremony were in no doubt about how well organised it was, with some terming it an "out of the world" experience.
"My kids felt they were in some alien space with all these light and colour. It was an awesome experience," Kalpana Anuragi, a mother of two said.
Indians hope Sunday's ceremony will help put the setbacks in the shade and the 12-day Games will be successfully organised.
"Five, six days back, we thought things were terribly wrong with the Games. But, since yesterday (Saturday), we could feel it in the air. There is so much excitement all around. You can see it on people's faces," Sonali Jaju, a student said.
Shoddy construction and filthy toilets at the Games Village delayed the arrival of several teams but the last-ditch efforts to improve the situation appear to have paid off.
"I think there was some slackness involved in getting the Games Village ready. We could have avoided that," India union home secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai said.
India's younger generation, however, was not yet ready to let those involved in tarnishing the country's image off lightly.
"We are responsible for the way the Games have gone wrong, as we are the ones who chose the politicians who are running the show. Let the Games get over, and we shall fix them, by voting them out," Adarsh Ladda, a 19-year-old student, said.
Suresh Kalmadi, head of the Games organising committee, was booed when he began his welcome speech at the stadium.
"He got what he deserved," Anuragi said.
(Additional reporting by Patrick Johnston and Urvashi Sibal; editing by Alison Wildey; to query or comment on this story, email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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