By IANS
New Delhi : The official logo for the 19th Commonwealth Games, to be held in Delhi in 2010, was unveiled Sunday at a glittering event in the backdrop of the India Gate.
Numerous dignitaries, including Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, IOA general secretary Randhir Singh, Commonwealth Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennel, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni, were present on the occasion.
Indian sportspersons, including world champion archer Dola Banerjee, former Indian hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay, former badminton champion Pullela Gopichand and athlete Shiny K. Wilson, also attended the event.
After the unveiling of the logo, Kalmadi said, “One thousand days are left for the Games and from now onwards a lot of action will happen. Delhi will emerge as a global city after the successful hosting of the event. Already, work on infrastructure development has started and after the Games the landscape of Delhi will change.”
He further asserted that successful hosting of the 2010 Games will pave the way for Delhi to bid for hosting the Olympics.
The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee also got the much-needed backing from the chief minister who said her government will provide all the necessary help to it.
“We will make the 2010 Games the best ever Commonwealth Games. My government will provide all the necessary help that the IOA and Games organising committee needs,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of all sportspersons present on the occasion, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee Manavjit Singh Sandhu said: “We are a good host but we will fight tooth and nail on the field. In the 2010 Games we will have the best chance to bag the maximum number of medals.”