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Commonwealth Games: Scots kick it off in style
Rohit Mahajan
Tribune News Service

Glasgow, July 23
Scotland burst into an exuberant celebration of sport, music and nationalism as the 20th Commonwealth Games kicked off in Glasgow tonight.

India, the host for the previous CWG, had their contingent march out first, led by the multiple CWG medal winner Vijay Kumar, the shooter who is a native of Himachal Pradesh.

Scottish performers take part in the opening ceremony. REUTERS

The opening ceremony was marked by music and laughter. The Scottish people are rather proud of these two elements of their national character — they believe these distinguish them from the rest of the peoples of the United Kingdom.

Green tartan cloth and bagpiper music provided the background for the ceremony at the Celtic Park football stadium, which was transformed into a live theatre and TV studio. Queen Elizabeth declared the Games open.

There is some irony in this ceremony for the games of the Commonwealth, because a very large number of people wish to become independent of the United Kingdom, and the referendum to vote on independence is barely two months away.

Vijay Kumar first gained international fame when he won gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Carrying the tricolour into the Opening Ceremony was a dream for him then.

Hours before marching in, Vijay Kumar said: “It was a dream then. For me, it’s a moment that I shall never forget. In 2006 I never thought one day I would be the flag-bearer of the contingent. But that’s destiny. Look here, I am realising a dream!”

“I just hope I win medals here,” he added. “It is perhaps one of the greatest honours for a sportsperson to be a flag bearer. But then it also adds a bit of pressure because the country will be glued to you. And it’s an event we don’t practice for.”

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