8/8/2019 Cwg Opening Ceremony Live Update

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Cwg opening ceremony live Update

Cwg opening ceremony live Update - Deafening roar greets the Indian contingent. Cheers ansd

chants louder than the drums at full blast. Visiting athletes rush in to click pi ctures of Indians in the

arena. This is sthe crescendo India had been waiting for seven years.

EMOTIONS RUN WILD!

All talk of corruption forgotten. VivRichards would have said, "Maaaan this is amazing!" PM

Manmohan and President Patil also clapping for India as they stand.

The Indian flag appears on the aerostat. Blazing tricolour. Mera Bharat Mahaan. Even cops seem

relaxed now.

Tune changes now to shehnai and drum. Eachindian athlete holding the tricolour.

8.04 pm - The parade continues. A big round of applause was reserved for our neighbours, Pakistan,

informs Kannan.

7.45 pm - The contingent parade begins:

Kannan writes: Falkland Islands enter, nattily dressed in suits. Next in a small contingent from Ghana.

Photographers are going berserk.

Flash bulbs just dont stop popping. English scribes say they are loving this show. And no security fearsinside till now! Jamaica, Kenya walk in next.

AjitVijaykumar informs us that the country contingents are taking seats for the parade.

7.40 pm - Kannanadds: Forty minutes into the show, nobody can say he is bored. And it 's now pleasant

in the stadium.

7.27 pm - Anupam tweets: Olympic Gold medalist AbhinavBindra travels in Delhi metro to reach

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

7:25 pm - Kannan says, "Westerners are enjoying the beats and the music. Traditional and loud, it

happens only in India. Hard to believe the show is on, folks."

7:20 pm - Hard to believe the show is on, folks. Hariharan starts singing Swagatham. And lamps

appear on Aerostat. Tradition being showcased.Swagatham appears in 18 languages on Aerostat.

Totally high tech.

7:16 pm - The crowd wildly cheers the folk music and dance called the Incredible India Show at the

ceremony. Cell phones seem to be jammed, says Kannan.

Kannan sums up the situation in his update: Folks, the show hasbegun and uncerainty is over! Lasers

light up the sky over Nehru Stadium. Aerostat throbs as images are bea med on it.

7 pm - After a countdown, spectators cheer loudly as the opening ceremony begins.

7.04 pm - Kannanadds: President PratibhaPatil and husband Devi Singh arrive. National anthem being

played and people stand up with pride in their hearts. Spectators clap wildly as anthem ends.

6:58 pm - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh enters Nehru Stadium with a heavy security escort. Is

received by Suresh Kalmadi.

Big round of cheer as former President Abdul Kalam enters Nehru Stadium. His arrival is shown on

two giant screens. A popular man.

8/8/2019 Cwg Opening Ceremony Live Update

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6.50 pm - Here are from pictures coming in from the opening ceremony at the JN Stadium.

7.04 pm - Kannanadds: President PratibhaPatil and husband Devi Singh arrive. National anthem being

played and people stand up with pride in their hearts. Spectators clap wildly as anthem ends.

6:58 pm - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh enters Nehru Stadium with a heavy security escort. Is

received by Suresh Kalmadi.

Big round of cheer as former President Abdul Kalam enters Nehru Stadium. His arrival is shown on

two giant screens. A popular man.

6.50 pm - Here are from pictures coming in from the opening ceremony at the JN Stadium.

6:43 pm - Ajit informs us that ShibaniKashyap, Milind and VikramjitSahani urged all to get behind

Shera, the CWG mascot, with their song Chak de Shera. And it worked.

CGF chief Mike Fennell arrives with Sports Minister MS Gill and Tourism Minister KumariSelja.

Delhi Lt Governor TejinderKhanna and CM Sheila Dikshit enter the venue.

Stadium almost full.A few sparse patches on the far end of the stadium.A good 50,000 at the venue anhour before the ceremony.

6:35 pm - Kannanadds: Crowds trooping in slowly. Getting past security not easy. Humid and air of

expectation as the big moment is minutes away. People needed almost two hours to get in past several

security barriers. Nothing being left to chance.

6:25 pm - Mail Today Senior Assistant Editor, AnupamThapa tweets: Actor Rahul Bose was seen at JNStadium for the opening ceremony. Was quite pepped up for the event.

6:25 pm - AnupamThapa tweets: Arjuna awardee in badminton (physically handicapped category)

MadasuSrinivasRao made to wait for an hour outside the JLN stadium.

6.17 pm - Mail Today Sports Editor S Kannan tells us that Suresh Kalmadi is at the Nehru Stadium

wearing a traditional band-gala coat and all his Indian Air Force medals on it.

6 pm - Our man at the spot, AjitVijaykumar sends us this report:

The pre-ceremony show kicked off with singer ShibaniKashyap performing her hit single

SajnaAaBhiJa. Kids from Salwan School gave a colourful performance in costumes ranging fromtraditional dancers to peacocks!

Keeping the Delhi flavour going, AnandRaajAnand's Come Out and Play put the crowd in the mood

with some mellifluous lyrics and music. Delhi United, a rock and roll number, by students of

ManavRachna Institutions cheered up those who wanted that extra punch.

5.58 pm - Musicians ShibaniKashyap, Anand Raj Anand perform at the JN Stadium ahead of the

opening ceremony.