Glittering event brings curtains down on Glorious Glasgow 2014, India finish 5th

August 4, 2014

Glorious GlasgowGlasgow, Aug 4: A glittering closing ceremony brought the curtains down on the 20th Commonwealth Games here last night with singer Kylie Minogue being one of styar performers during the gala event.

In presence of British Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and vice patron of Commonwealth Games Federation, declared the Glasgow 2014 closed as a representative of the head of the Commonwealth to mark the end of the biggest sporting extravaganza Scotland has ever hosted.

"Every four years, these Games bring the spirit of our Commonwealth alive. I called sportsmen and women from all nations and territories of the Commonwealth to come together in four years' time to celebrate the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in Australia. Until then, in the name of Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaimed the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games closed," he said.

Colourful fireworks on a cloudy Glasgow's night skyline to signal the end of 11-day competition among 4929 athletes from 71 countries and territories of the erstwhile British Empire which was opened on July 23.

More than 2,000 volunteers sang and danced to several numbers of Scottish singers in front of a packed crowd who joined the show largely of laser light and sound at the Hampden Park National Stadium at the closing ceremony produced by global specialists of such events Jack Morton Worldwide.

The athletes were ushered in at the beginning of the show and remained at the field for the entire one-and-a-half hour show, many taking part and enjoying the rock concert like atmosphere.

The Indian contingent, led by flag bearer Seema Punia, who won a silver in women's discus throw, took part in the closing ceremony, all of them wearing track suits.

CGF chief Prince Imran described the Glasgow 2014 as the best ever Games.

"Scotland and Glasgow, you have really delivered in every aspect the best Games ever," he said in his brief speech to the applause of the crowd.

"We have seen superb sporting action supported by fantastic organisation. Glasgow you were pure, dead brilliant."

Rhythmic gymnast from Wales, Francesca Jones, who won one gold and five silver, was awarded the David Dixon Award for the best athlete in the Glasgow Games.

CGF chief Prince Imran presented the award to her.

Australian Minogue's performance symbolised the transfer of baton to Australia's Gold Coast, which will host the 21st edition from April 4-15, 2018.

The show, with the theme 'All Back To Ours', opened with Scottish singer and actress Lulu coming out onto the star-shaped stage amid a mass of tents around the National Stadium at hampden Park and belting her famous 'Shout'.

Suddenly the athletes came out of the tents to the amazement of the crowd and Lulu continued with her ‘Shout’ with volunteers joining her.

Glasgow legends ‘Deacon Blue’ took the centre stage belting out their famous song 'Dignity', which tells the story of an ordinary man -- a worker. The workers of Glasgow was given pride of place with 220 of them entering the stadium carrying 'Let Glasgow Flourish' banner while Deacon Blue lead singer Ricky Ross asking the crowd to join him.

A fleet of assorted council vehicles, led by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, appeared from another gate and Glasgow 2014 mascot Clyde was in one of these vehicles.

Then, Glasgow rock band Prides hit the stage and they sang 'Messiah' to set the scene for thousands of Glasgow 2014 volunteers, known as clyde-siders, gathered around the CGF flag pole, before two pipe bands take their turn to show the more traditional Scottish culture.

In a spectacularly choreographed sequence, the volunteer performers began to clear the field of play and the tents were gradually moved to the side before the festival site was transformed into a huge star around the Star Stage for the dignitaries present to speak according to the protocol.

Representatives of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo entered the stadium playing 'Wi a Hundred Pipers' followed by 'The Bloody Fields of Flanders'.

Lord Kelvin Smith KT, the chairman of the organizing committee, and CGF chief Prince Imran gave their speeches to the Commonwealth.

The CGF flag was lowered by two members of the tri-force military party, accompanied by Robert Burns song ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ sung by Karen Matherson. Seventeen athletes, each representing their country, formed an avenue of national flags down which the CGF flag travelled before it was folded by a tri-force military party.

Glasgow 2014 representatives handed the flag back to the CGF, who entrusted it to the representatives of Gold Coast, the Australian city which will host the Games from April 4-15, 2018.

Then the final moment came with the Earl of Wessex, the third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburg, declaring the 2014 Commonwealth Games closed with a colourful fireworks adorning the cloudy Glasgow sky.

The rock concert-like party continued with Minogue performing on her seven songs one after another, beginning with the 'Look' with a playful love story scene during a typical night out in Glasgow as the backdrop.

Stand-up comedian Des Clarke came out of a tent with Team Scotland's Scotty Dog 'Hamish' and introduced Minogue on the stage. Minogue began with 'Spinning Around' with volunteers and athletes joining the dance party.

After her famous numbers Into the Blue, Love at First Sight, All the Lovers, The Locomotion, Beautiful and Cannot Get out of my head, the mirror balls rising up around the stadium and confetti filling the field and the volunteer performers finding their partners in a slow dance.

The stage was then left for Dougie Maclean, one of Scotland's finest singer-songwriters, to belt out the hugely popular 'Caledonia' before a lone piper blew Robert Burns song 'Auld Lang Syne' from the stadium roof as the final fireworks began. A comet tail firework travelled through the crowd to mark the end of the colourful ceremony.

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News Network
May 30,2020

New Delhi, May 30: Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand will be finally reaching India late on Saturday after being stuck in Germany for over three months due to the travel restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Yes.. Anand will be returning today," the chess maestro's wife Aruna told PTI on Saturday morning. Anand, who boarded an Air India flight (AI-120) from Frankfurt on Friday night will reach Bengaluru via Delhi.

He is expected to reach Bengaluru at 1.15 pm. The five-time world champion will undergo 14 days quarantine as per rules laid down by the Karnataka government.

"He will complete quarantine procedures and come to Chennai as per protocol," Aruna Anand said. The flights from Germany are only scheduled to land only in Delhi and Bengaluru.

The chess ace was in Germany to play in the Bundesliga chess league and was to return to India, but was forced to stay put after the COVID-19 outbreak disrupted sporting schedules across the globe, apart from restricting movement.

He was staying near Frankfurt and was doing online commentary for the Candidates tournament which was called off mid-way due to the pandemic and led the Indian team in the Online Nations Cup early this month.

Anand had been in touch with his family in Chennai on a regular basis via video calls and kept himself busy with chess-related work.

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News Network
April 15,2020

New Delhi, Apr 15: Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday urged people to beat coronavirus by staying at home and by maintaining social distancing. He termed the virus 'mother of all World Cups' and asked people to combat this disease together and win the World Cup of humanity.

Taking to Twitter, Shastri shared a video post where he cited cricket examples to aware people about the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. "As I would know, sports teaches you life lessons that can be applied to just about anything you want to pursue in rest of your life.

Today the COVID-19 has put us in a situation where we got our backs to the wall. To combat this coronavirus is like chasing a World Cup where you give your everything in trying to win it. What's staring you at the face is no ordinary World Cup. This is the mother of all World Cups where not just eleven are playing but 1.4 billion are in the playing arena and competing. Guys we can win this. For that, we have to observe the basics. You have got your Prime Minister leading from the front ahead of the curve like other countries have farmed out," Shastri said.

"You have to obey the orders that come from the top: be it centre, state or the frontline workers who are risking their lives. Two orders that stand out: staying home and maintaining social distancing. It is not easy but to win the game you got to go through the pain to break the chain and see the gain. Come on, guys! let's do it together. Let us get out there in a bruit force of 1.4 billion and beat this corona and get your hands on the World Cup of humanity. Let's do it," he added.

With 1,076 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,439, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Out of the total tally, 9,756 cases are active while 1,306 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated. With 38 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rises to 377.

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News Network
March 4,2020

Mar 4: The BCCI has decided to implement strict cost cutting measures with the notable decision being IPL 2020 champions' prize money will be halved as compared to 2019. In a circular sent to all IPL franchises, the BCCI has notified that instead of a whopping Rs 20 crore, the IPL champion team will now receive Rs 10 crore only. "The financial rewards have been reworked as a part of the cost cutting measures. The champions will get Rs 10 crore instead of Rs 20 crore. The runners-up will get Rs 6.25 crore from earlier Rs 12.5 crore," a BCCI notification, in possession of news agency, read.

The two losing qualifiers will now get Rs 4.375 crore each.

"The franchises are all in good health. They also have multiple ways like sponsorships to bolster their income. Hence the decision on prize money taken," a senior BCCI source said.

However, a state association hosting IPL games will get Rs 1 crore each with franchises and BCCI contributing Rs 50 lakh each.

It has also been learnt that mid-level BCCI employees won't be allowed to avail business class flights like earlier times for flying to the Asian countries (Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE) where the flying time is less than eight hours.

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