Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, known for his starched white shirts and dhotis, turned out nattily dressed in a chocolate T-shirt and light cream trousers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Stepping out of his car outside Gate No. 1 for an inspection round, he left many surprised with his new look. He instantly became the cynosure of all eyes, the dark shades having shaved a few years off his age, and some shutterbugs could not resist the temptation of clicking him.
This, however, annoyed Mr. Chidambaram and as he walked towards the stadium he urged one of the photographers to stop taking his snaps. But when the eager lensman did not pay heed, the Minister gently tapped him on his shoulder. “I can have your equipment seized,” he cautioned him. Later in the evening, Mr. Chidambaram returned to the venue in a pink shirt and black trousers.
On a ‘sore' note
A trip, a fall, a late arrival and absence of video footage marked the unofficial start of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. As soon as singer Shibani Kashyap entered the performance arena for the pre-show of her song ‘Sajana aa bhi jaa,' one of the dancers accompanying her tripped on the numerous wires that lined the area. Then another dancer arrived late. More than half the people in the stadium were unable to see her perform as their view was obstructed by the giant aerostat that remained suspended mid-air in the centre of the arena.
The live images came on the giant screens only after Shibani's performance was over.
What a ‘waste'
Though the Delhi police had made announcements before hand that coins would not be permitted inside the stadium due to security considerations, the warning apparently did not reach many. An English woman ended up losing a large number of shillings she was carrying. When she reached the security check point for the media, the staff told her that coins were not allowed inside. Though she demanded that an exception be made as the number and value of the coins were substantial, it was of no use. She ultimately had to drop all the coins into a ‘waste box.'
Way to go
The Commonwealth Games lanes were meant to provide fast and safe travel to the Games delegates, officials and staff. But these lanes have become synonymous with reckless driving by the drivers of some CWG vehicles and even the red air-conditioned Delhi Transport Corporation buses. On Sunday, the driver of a CWG car carrying two foreign delegates set an example of how the lane should be ideally used. On reaching the Old Fort T-point near the Delhi High Court, he stopped at the light as it was red. And though a Delhi Traffic Police personnel posted there directed him to go straight, the driver refused to budge till the light turned green. This small gesture immediately won him appreciative glances from other motorists.
Ever popular
The former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, may have demitted office quite some time ago, but he still continues to rule the hearts and minds of the people.
And this was exemplified in no small measure at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games where spectators cheered loudly every time his name was announced or his image showed up on the giant screen.
The “People's President,'' as he is popularly referred to, also waved to the people to acknowledge their appreciation.
A relaxed person
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit still appeared to be in the ‘green games' mood as she turned up at the opening ceremony in a green sari. Sitting in the ‘royal box,' with an aisle and a pedestal fan separating her from Delhi-Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna, Ms. Dikshit appeared at ease. Having had several “sleepless nights'' recently because of the ill-preparedness at the Games Village, she looked quite relaxed and also waved and smiled as people cheered loudly when the cameras panned on her.
Packed stadium
The first spectators started arriving at the stadium as early as 2 p.m. But then they continued to pour in even at 6.45 p.m., just 15 minutes before the official start of the opening ceremony. Almost 90 per cent of the stadium was filled by 6.45 p.m. Most of the Rs.1,000, Rs.25,000 and Rs.50,000 seats were filled up. There is a strong volunteer presence within the stadium. Over 3,000 volunteers are estimated to be around to help spectators, delegates and media personnel. However, there were general complaints that the volunteers were not well informed and could have been trained better.
Journalists happy
One category that is not complaining is the sizeable media contingent. Journalists, who had been to other multi-disciplinary sporting events abroad, said most of the facilities provided to the media matched international standards — such as the media lounge internet connection and workstations.
An irritant for sports reporters, however, was the absence of mini-TV sets at their workstations to verify the names of the teams, athletes and dignitaries using video footage.
