10:15 AM
adim
The curtains came down on the biggest sporting show India has witnessed with a colourful closing ceremony capping a series of brilliant performances on the field over the past 12 days.
The closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2010 commenced with a gripping display of martial arts and a performance by a 400-strong Army band. Over 6,800 performers had been lined up for the closing ceremony in front of a capacity crowd of nearly 60,000 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. A rendition of Vande Mataram preceded a parade by athletes from the 71 participating countries.
The ceremony came on a day that saw India post its best performance in CWG history. With 38 gold medals in its kitty, India surpassed its previous best performance at the Manchester Games and finished second in the medals tally.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh received the loudest applause when he walked in for the ceremony. Others present to witness the ceremony included the chief guest Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Congress youth icon Rahul Gandhi, Salman Khursheed, Nafisa Ali and Prasoon Joshi were among the other prominent faces visible at the stadium.
The highlight of the show, apart from the performances, was again the helium aerostat suspended over the stadium. The balloon had become an instant hit at the opening ceremony as well, with video content being projected on it, including animation and graphics synchronised with the events taking place during the opening ceremony.
The crowds had begun coming in long before the event began, anticipating a repeat of the impressive show put up for the opening ceremony. Tight security measures had been put in place. Many markets across the city were shut with the day having been declared a public holiday.The last day saw India falter in the hockey final as they were thrashed by Australia but Saina Nehwal’s singles gold in badminton capped a series of impressive performances.
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