India says good bye to Commonwealth Games

14/10/2010
India says good bye to Commonwealth Games
12 days of sporting extravaganza where India showcased itself to the world. After all the pre-CWG negativity, the Games itself were so full of energy. All good things have to come to an end and India bid farewell to the CWG 2010. If the opening ceremony was simply spectacular, the closing ceremony was a beautiful blend of Indian culture and Scottish tradition and left the world awestruck.

The Nehru stadium was painted in blue the whole evening and India once again displayed its might in ceremonies. CWG creative director Bharat Bala worked for over 18 months to get these two special days ready and why not! From the 'revival' of Vande Mataram to handing over of 'Games' to Scotland to some spectacular laser show to universal music of love, the evening was simply perfect. Did we miss something? The aroma of Scotland while taking over the games from India. The Chief Guest for the evening was Sri Lankan President Mahendra Rajapaksha.

CWG handed over to Glasgow
CGF Flag was handed over to Glasgow, the next host of CWG in 2014 in the beautiful country of Scotland. The flag was handed over by CWG 2010 Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi to Lt. Gov of Delhi, Tejinder Khanna, who then handed it over to the Scottish delegation led by Lord Smith of Cambridge, who will be the Chairman of the Organising committee for CWG 2014.
The organising committee of India had put up a bollywood-style extravaganza while being handed over the games by Melbourne in 2006 and today Glasgow responded with a fabulous display of Scottish tradition, heritage and culture in a 10-minute presentation that was simply stunning, especially the technicalities of the performance left the audience with a sparkle in the eye.
India says good bye to Commonwealth Games

CWG: High-tech security

From plainclothes detectives mingling with the crowds to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Delhi is under an unmatched security cover to ensure a trouble-free Commonwealth Games starting in the national capital from Sunday.

Besides some 100,000 police and paramilitary personnel on Delhi's roads, the UAVs will be looking for possible air intrusions. Ground personnel are equipped to battle chemical, biological or radiological attacks.

According to officials, the most high-tech security systems are in place for the Games that has drawn 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories.

Army helicopters have begun hovering over the sprawling Games Village housing the visitors. Armed personnel have taken positions at city centres and vital installations.

Hundreds of plainclothesmen are mingling with the city populace in markets and Metro trains, residential colonies and bus stations.

"Home Minister (P.) Chidambaram has been personally supervising the arrangements," Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran said.

"There may be extra checking and traffic restrictions during the Games but these are natural in a big event," said an official from the ministry.

The home ministry, which controls Delhi Police, is in overall charge of the Games security.
High-tech security for CWG

Mosquito bites at CWG Village bigger concern than terror attacks

Melbourne: Australia's swimming coach Leigh Nugent says hygiene at the Commonwealth Games Village in Delhi is a bigger concern for him than the terror threats to the October 3 to 14 event.

"You can go to a Western-style country and still get sick, but on the subcontinent they have bugs we have no resistance to," Nugent was quoted as saying by 'The Daily Telegraph'.

"Things like vomiting and diarrhoea can run rampant through a team, wreaking havoc on months of preparation and destroying medal chances. So you have to be extra vigilant and make sure you have as many preventative measures in place as you can."

Nugent said all the Australian swimmers have been given hand-sanitising gel, probiotics to boost immunity and long-sleeved shirts, long trousers and bug repellent plus mosquito zappers to guard against diseases such as dengue and malaria.

"And even when you're having a shower, you should keep your mouth closed," Nugent said. "We're living in the village with probably 7000 or 8000 other people and not everyone has good hygiene, and you don't know who's touched the door in front of you," he said.

"Touching things, you can pick up bugs that you're not used to in our normal environment and next thing you're sick and out of action. All of these bugs are invisible, so you have to be ultra-careful."

Nugent said the swimmers have already instructed about personal hygiene during the October 3 to 14 event. "They're well educated in it, but it needs to be habitual," Nugent said.

"When we're in our strategy camp in Kuala Lumpur we'll be really ramming that message home hard and prompting our athletes and our staff so that they stay fit and healthy. It's easy to forget, but you really can't afford to forget in this environment," he added.
Hygiene at CWG Village bigger concern than terror
Kalmadi's Challenge: Can he beat the Mosquitoes?
Dengue: 72 new cases in Delhi; total No. at 2296

CWG: Kalmadi Kaleidoscope

Deccan Herald: Saturday 18 September 2010
CWG scam: A mirror to official sloth, corruption and opacity by Rajdeep Sardesai

Mani Shankar Aiyar has probably not read Dale Carnegie’s best-seller, ‘How to win friends and influence people’. A few years ago, in a St Stephen’s alumni book, former external affairs minister Natwar Singh wrote, "I am what I am because of the college." Prompt came Aiyar’s rejoinder: "Why blame the college!"

Politics though is not a college campus. The ready wit and pungent sarcasm which might earn applause in a debating society is deemed as offensive in the real world. Lost in the process is the bank of knowledge that often informs Aiyar’s writings and speeches. Which is why when he chose last week to express the hope that the Commonwealth Games would collapse with the rains, there was instant anger at what was deemed as an ‘anti-national’ remark, especially coming from an MP who is still a member of the ruling party and was sports minister not too long ago.

Ironically, a few days later, the tables have rather dramatically turned. Aiyar is now a chuckling soothsayer, Suresh Kalmadi is seen as a bumbling villain. As a slew of corruption allegations hit the Games, there is almost a self-congratulatory note among the Commonwealth nay-sayers for whom the event is a waste of tax-payers’ money.
That with less than 60 days to go for India’s biggest sports competition, there is still a fierce debate over the necessity for it to be held in the first place only confirms our status as the world’s premier squabbling democracy. Could anyone imagine a similar debate in China ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympics?

Unfortunately, the debate itself has been wrongly posited as ‘national pride’ versus ‘national shame.’ Tying up the successful organisation of a sports event to ‘nationalism’ has a distinct Soviet-style ring to it. Cold war Soviet Union could see staging the Moscow Olympics in 1980 as symbolic of their ‘superior’ ideological system. Communist China perhaps viewed the Beijing Olympics as a ‘coming of age’ party.

Even South Africa, a republic which is still less than two decades old, could view the soccer World Cup as an opportunity to parade its credentials as a ‘rainbow nation’.

The Commonwealth debate needs to be shorn of the ‘Games as nationalism’ tag. A high-pitched battle between those who see every stadium leak as a disgrace and those who believe that a beautified national capital will be a source of pride will serve little purpose. Instead, we need to focus on what is really the root of the present controversy: a prevailing culture which is rooted in sloth, corruption and opacity. The Commonwealth Games are not the problem; they are only a symptom of the wider crisis that confronts new India.

Unrealistic expectation
In the euphoria of over 8 per cent growth, we sometimes forget that we are still ranked a lowly 84th in the transparency international corruption index. When a society is steeped in corruption, it would be unrealistic to expect that a Rs 40,000 crore event will be above it all, especially when its organisational set-up is a hydra-headed monster led by an army of babus and multiple authorities.

Moreover, the belief that the end of the licence-permit raj would usher in transparent procedures has long since been proven bogus. Instead, it has only bred a form of crony capitalism that revolves around handing out largesse to friends and relatives. Sports has been a particular sufferer in this regard.

Every sports federation is run like a mini-empire by warlords and their henchmen, with virtually no checks and balances. Kalmadi has been heading the athletics federation for more than 20 years, the Indian Olympic association for 14 years. In the process, Olympic sport in this country has become Kalmadi’s playground, an event like the Commonwealth Games providing the perfect stage for him to distribute patronage to the chosen few.

But why single out Kalmadi? What is the accountability of the government of India whose senior bureaucrats are on various Commonwealth committees? The prime minister appointed a core group of ministers to supervise the games, should they not take some responsibility? The CVC report is a damning indictment of every civic authority in the urban development ministry and Delhi government, should they not be also brought under the scanner?

In a sense, the parallels between the Commonwealth Games and that other sporting circus, the IPL, are uncanny. In the IPL, the sleaze showed up the frailties of corporate India which tried to run the event like a private members club. In the Commonwealth Games, it’s the soft underbelly of the Indian state which is being exposed.

In the IPL, a single individual, Lalit Modi has been held responsible for the corruption even as the other board and governing council members appear to have got away. In the Commonwealth Games too, the focus seems to be on Kalmadi when it should be on every government department that has benefited from the bonanza. Maybe, that’s why its called the Commonwealth games: the wealth has been commonly shared!
(The writer is editor-in-chief, IBN 18 network)
CWG scam: A mirror to official sloth, corruption and opacity by Rajdeep Sardesai

Military World Games
MWG were hosted by Indian armed forces under the aegis of International Military Sports Council (CISM) in Hyderabad and Mumbai from October 14-21. Of the 6,000 athletes who participated in the Games from more than 100 countries in 17 disciplines, 25% were Olympic medal winners. The Andhra Pradesh government, the army’s Pune-based Southern Command and the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command were also in charge of the event.

CAG pointed out that the ministry of defence (MoD) had sanctioned Rs50 crore by March 2007 to Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), which sought Rs19 crore more. This money was made available by defence public sector units on the direction of the department of defence production. As per rules, projects exceeding an outlay of Rs100 crore need cabinet approval, but in this case sanctions for Rs138 crore were granted at the ministry level.

The Andhra government was paid in advance with no formal agreement and could not provide bills or details of services provided. CAG observes that Rs4.76 crore received on account of charges realised from extra CISM contingents was diverted to non-public funds between September 2007 and June 2008.

MWG estimated cost Rs 138 crores Vs CWG Games anticipated cost Rs 40,000 crores: Degree of corruption in 2 years escalates four hundredfold!
Commonwealth Games corruption has a rival

Robocop in Delhi to tackle terrorists

ROBOCOP, a new police official for Commonwealth games
Delhi gets a new police official ROBOCOP who is very much in news these days. With the Commonwealth Games round the corner and reports of constant terror threats.
weapons if they are mounted on it, guided by the five laser-guided cameras with pan, tilt and zoom features. This feature is especially useful in a hostage situation.
SPEED: The Caliber T5 robots are used by SWAT teams across the world and can also drag injured persons to safety, climb stairs and negotiate rugged terrain. It has a maximum speed of 8 km per hour.
LIFT & DRAG: This robot, manufactured by Canada-based ICOR Technology, can lift 20 kg and drag up to 130 kg. MROV has a robotic arm with 5 degrees of movement including a turret, shoulder, elbow, wrist and claw joint.
Cost: Rs 1 crore per unit
Source: Indian Express
Robocop in Delhi to fight terror
Comment: Robocop needs to be used extensively whenever and wherever terror and bomb threats are immanent. One only wishes that these costly gadgets are not junked just after the CWG due to want of expertise, spares, mobility or lack of maintenance.

Hockey India

Hockey has been our national game. All it needed to play, as I remember from my childhood days in our village was, a vacant ground, four bricks to define two goal posts a ball and sticks. We played hockey in school and as I remember huge crowds used to gather in numbers when Aligarh and Allahabd Universities teams fought battle royals on the green grass field. We played as cadets in IMA also, Cricket was boring to watch for which we were detailed on Sundays.

Hockey seems to have fallen to bad days, especially the women's hockey, with the coffers of Hockey India become empty. Sadly the champion women are practicing in Bhopal with black band on their arms and little money in their pockets.

They are seeking help from the Nation, have opened an account in Syndicate Bank Bhopal Account No 77052010002970 in the names of Surinder Kaur, Dipika Murty, Mamta Kharb and Subhadra Pradhan. Bank code: SYNB0007705, Syndicate Bank, TT Nagar Branch, 75, Malviya Nagar, Bhopal 462003.

Let us all get together to help our team with what ever amount we can spare, what ever, it will all add up.

Brig Lakshman Singh VSM (Retd)

Leadership Qualities, Governance and Hockey

From The Tribune, Chandigarh of 15 Jan 2010.
Rites of passage by Vijay Oberoi (click here)
A very nice story by Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi Retd.

You all might remember a few odd cases where some of our colleagues were indicted/ faced action for LMF or lack of moral fibre. Well, the very young hero of this tale seems to have a lot of MF as well as OLQ.

Two more items of interest from The Tribune, Chandigarh of 15 Jan 2010
Reform Governance and Rejuvinate Hockey (click me)
Regards,
Cdr K K Punchhi (Retd)

ESM beaten up in Ludhiana: Report

IESM Pb & IESL Punjab & Chandigarh: Joint Protest Rally- meet DC and present Memorandum

Dear Friends,
1. We joined Revenue Department Rally at Ludhiana on 22/6/09. Hall was full of supporters from all over Punjab including about 100 prominent ESM, Org/ NGOs, in support of PCS Maj GS Benipal the ESM victim. He was medically Boarded out as Battle casualty due to leg broken injury, after 10 yrs, as SS Offr from Arty/ Fd Regt.
2. Main ESM: Col Bhag Singh, Brig TS Toor, Col SS Sohi, Col AS Bhinder, Cpl JS Kumbrah, Col CS Khera, Sgt Sikander Singh, Capt PS Gill, Col Sodhi, Col Zora Singh, Col BS Dukhia, Col BS Grewal, Col RS Sohi, Col Surjit Singh...
3. Incident narrated by eye witness colleague/ Revenue Officer. 2 MC (of SAD) with 10-12 goondas entered office of Maj Benipal Sub Tehsildar and dictated abusively to do their work/ Regn immediately. Maj Benpal told them to behave first. Maj had unearthed their stamp papers scam there & stopped their easy money which benefited Govt by crores of Rupees. It was a planned revenge under the blessings of top Punjab SAD Politicians, Revenue Minister Ajit Singh Kohat being around.
4. MC Bains & Karwal with others dragged Maj out of Office, tore all his clothes/ naked, hit him with iron rods & sticks, broke his same injured leg & fired on his head to kill him finally. But Benipal fell down by then due to broken leg & luckily missed the bullet. Culprits thought bullet hit & killed him, so they left him & seized the area around with 400-500 men (Youth Akalies) shouting. Police was on helpless mission & never interfered to save Government servant on duty.
5. Staff dragged bleeding naked Maj Benipal in the room. Meanwhile more staff joined & realised that he can be evacuated to Hospital in Police Vehicle only. Even Police took 45 Minutes to cover 10 minute route to hospital due to mobs of SAB workers blocking traffic.
6. One Goonda was never arrested though entering all Govt/ Police Offices challenging even Police & the one arrested was kept in AC room as VIP served Samosas & Jalebis by Police. This looks to be a fit case for Central rule in Punjab.
7. Other details you have been reading in papers.
8. After sharing Rally for 2-3 hrs with Punjab Revenue staff, we went to DC Office & handed over a joint memorandum. DC kept sitting on chair & received it casually. Brig Toor, Col Bhag Singh, Col sohi with 3 more Offrs handed over the memorandum to DC.
9. Rally Photos attached as above.
With Regards,
Col SS Sohi (Retd)

XXIX Olympaid Host China wins gold medal race

BEIJING (AP) — China proved an acquisitive first-time Olympic host, topping the gold-medal chart with one of the most dominating and diverse performances ever. The United States, Britain and an array of small nations also had reasons to celebrate.

China's haul of 51 gold medals was the largest since the Soviet Union won 55 in Seoul in 1988. Fielding athletes groomed since childhood in sports academies, it won medals in 25 different sports, including its first ever in sailing, beach volleyball and field hockey.

Not since 1936, when Nazi Germany prevailed at the Berlin Olympics, had a country other than the USA or the Soviet Union/ Russia led the gold medal list.

The United States trailed well behind the Chinese in golds with 36, the first time since 1992 it didn't lead the category. But the Americans did break their own mark for total medals in a non- boycotted Olympics; they won 110 in all, two more than their previous high set in 1992 and 10 ahead of China's overall tally this year.

Welcome to Commonwealth Games 2010 web site. It's just about time that you get informed about Commonwealth Games 2010 that is to be held in India. Information that will make you a part of the international event the whole world is waiting for. The event that involves the elite of the athletes and the best of the nations. The 2010 Games also presents an opportunity for India to showcase itself as a sporting and cultural nation and economic power.
Welcome to Commonwealth Games 2010
2010 New Delhi: CWG
2010- Commonwealth Games

Defence Ministers Speech at Kendriya Sainik Board Meeting

Following is the full text of the speech delivered by Defence Minister Shri A K Antony at the 27th Meeting of the Kendriya Sainik Board held in New Delhi on 19/5/2007. This has been reproduced for benefit of all ESM, as it spells out many tangible benefits in the pipeline.

I welcome you all to the inauguration of XXVII Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB) meeting. It is indeed a privilege that the Hon’ble Prime Minister is here with us on this occasion. His presence and words of advice will surely motivate and encourage us in our endeavour.

Our Armed Forces have been serving the nation with dedication and commitment, braving extreme weather conditions. They have to live away from their families, which makes their task even more difficult and challenging. During my visit to forward areas, I have had a first-hand experience of the difficult conditions. Thus, special attention by the Central and State Governments and support and care by the local administrations towards their families is really crucial. We want our troops to maintain a high morale and perform their duties without any worries.

Nearly 60, 000 Armed Forces personnel either retire, or are released each year. They are between 35-45 years of age and are a rich repository of knowledge in different fields. We cannot and must not let this potential go unutilized. Moreover, keeping in mind their service to the nation, it is our moral responsibility to give them ample opportunities for reemployment and resettlement. Keeping this in view, the Government has declared 2007 as “The Year of the Placement of Ex-servicemen.”

Our Government has taken several measures for the welfare of ex-servicemen. The Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for wards of Ex-servicemen for their technical and professional education has been launched from the academic session this year.

Many State Governments have taken steps to promote the welfare of Ex-servicemen by employing them in police force, to man forests, as well as toll plazas. I strongly urge all State Governments to optimally utilise the services of Ex-servicemen for mutual benefit. I also request all State Governments and Union Territories to raise at least one battalion each for afforestation. This investment will pay rich dividends in the future.

Of late, the gap in the understanding between the defence services and the corporate sector has been reduced considerably. Retired Armed Forces Personnel are landing up responsible and lucrative jobs in the private sector and PBORs are getting equally dignified placements.

I am happy to note that at the Seminar On “Defence-Industry Partnership in Human Resource Management” held earlier this year, a commitment was made by ASSOCHAM for absorbing approximately 10, 000 Ex-Servicemen in various capacities. I am sure that ASSOCHAM, in consultation with the Directorate General, Resettlement would make concerted efforts to honour the commitment.

The private sector must also do its utmost to help the society and the nation in promoting the welfare and resettlement of the Ex-servicemen. Directorate General, Resettlement is exploring the possibility of providing Ex-Servicemen suitable jobs in Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Metro. Such an arrangement will provide mutual benefits to both – the Ex-Servicemen and these organisations. With the Commonwealth Games scheduled in the year 2010, I am sure there will not be any dearth of employment opportunities for Ex-Servicemen, in particular.

Kendriya Sainik Board has to play the most vital role in the resettlement of Ex-Servicemen. Though the Board has a widespread reach, we have unfortunately not been able to make full use of it in a planned and coordinated manner. This must be the primary objective of today’s meeting. The States need to fill up about 25% of the sanctioned posts lying vacant in Rajya Sainik Boards and Zilla Sainik Boards to strengthen this organisation. We look forward to your valuable views and suggestions towards achieving these objectives.

I take this opportunity to request you all to help the families of Armed Forces personnel posted in operational areas, or who are far away from their homes. I would like to set up a mechanism to monitor the redressal of grievances by attaching serving defence personnel in Sainik Boards linking them through Internet. I request the Service Headquarters to nominate the personnel in consultation with Kendriya Sainik Board. Such small steps would go a long way in raising the morale of our troops.

I am happy to announce that financial assistance to Ex-Servicemen, widows and their wards under Raksha Mantri’s Discretionary Fund has been doubled. This assistance will also be available for marriage of daughters of Ex-Servicemen, assistance to infirm Ex-Servicemen, medical treatment of non ECHS members and penury grant to all categories of Ex-Servicemen. In addition, new areas of financial assistance such as house repair grant, funeral allowance, assistance to orphan daughters, children education grant for girl child upto graduation level and emergency grant have also been introduced for the first time. This also includes a grant for marriage of widows. I am sure that these measures would benefit ex-servicemen and their dependents.

The Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) for Ex-Servicemen has been launched in all the States. It will be our endeavour to set up as many as polyclinics as possible in District Centres. I suggest that these polyclinics be set up alongside the Rajya and Zila Sainik Board Offices, so that all facilities are available within the same complex. I request all State Governments to provide necessary assistance in land acquisition and construction of polyclinics so that the scheme becomes fully operational.

I once again thank the Hon’ble Prime Minister for gracing this occasion. I also thank everyone present here for giving their valuable time to participate in this meeting. I am sure our deliberations today will help the Ex-Servicemen in getting their due.