By Gulshan Luthra
IANS
New Delhi : Imagine a hundred-plus armies from around the world battling it out in the sports arena! And for world peace! India will host the fourth World Military Games, its biggest sports event, at Hyderabad Oct 14-21. The games are being held in Asia for the first time.
There should be participation from nearly all the 127 members of the CISM, officially called in French as Conseil International du Sport Militaire, or the Council for International Military Sports, which manages the event.
CISM is based in the Belgian capital Brussels.
The games were first held in Rome in 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II and the ratification of the UN Charter.
The idea of the games is to promote friendship between the armed forces "in the spirit of the Olympics" and "without any political, religious or racial considerations," explained Sitanshu Kar, the Indian defence ministry spokesman.
Notably, it is a city that offers to host the games, not a country. Hyderabad was chosen because of its success in hosting the 2002 National Games and the 2003 Afro Asian Games.
After the first event in 1995, the second was held in Zagreb, Croatia (August 1999) and the third again in Italy, in the Sicilian city of Catania (December 2003). The games move out of Europe now.
India made its offer in 2003 to host the event, and it was readily accepted after CISM officials witnessed the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad.
The games are a multi-sport event, and except for Sailing and Triathlon, which will be conducted at Mumbai, 15 sports disciplines will be conducted at Hyderabad. Both men and women will take part.
The event has been put into four categories:
1. Military Sports: Military Pentathlon, Shooting, Parachuting.
2. Individual/Team Sports: Football, Handball, Volleyball, Triathlon, Sailing, Swimming, Track & Field.
3. Combat Sports: Judo, Boxing and Wrestling.
4. Demonstration Sports: Hockey and Kabaddi.
The theme for the Military Games logo has been taken from the famous five rings of the Olympic Logo depicting five inhabitant continents. (North and South Americas are counted as one continent, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia being the other four).
The Great Indian Bison has been adopted as the mascot of the games. Majestic and normally imperturbable, it is always treated with healthy respect in the animal kingdom.
It possesses immense strength, vigour and doggedness. When provoked, its spurt, ferocity and speed of charge drives terror into the hearts of its opponents.
The 54 Infantry Division of the Indian Army, which is located at Hyderabad, has the bison as its formation sign.
Indian Army chief General J.J. Singh is taking keen interest to ensure the success of the games, said Kar. The Military World Games Secretariat has been set up in New Delhi, and is the nodal point for coordinating all activities concerning the games.