Prime Minister declares South Asian Games open at colourful ceremony

The official mascot Tikhor, a baby rhino, during the opening ceremony of the 12th South Asian Games at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Friday. (Photo: AFP)

The diverse culture of India’s north-east was on display in all its splendour as the curtains went up on the 12th South Asian Games in a colourful opening ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other dignitaries in attendance.

PM Modi declared the Games open at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium to mark the formal beginning of the 12-day event.

Eight countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, besides India — will vie for top honours in the Games to be co-hosted by Shillong.

“I declare the 12th South Asian Games open,” Modi said amid cheers from a capacity crowd at the stadium.

There will be 228 gold, 228 silver and 308 bronze medals on offer this time. The two cities will play host to a total of 3,333 athletes and officials. The ceremony began with the athletes’ march past alongside the Games mascot ‘Tikhor’ leading it. Afghanistan led the march past with India coming in last.

Archers on target, women’s football team disappoints

In Shillong, returning from a prolonged layoff, defending champion Tarundeep Rai produced his best along with the country’s Olympic hope Deepika Kumari to top their respective qualification rounds in the recurve archery competitions.

India also topped in the compound section with Abhishek Verma and Purvasha Shende claiming the honours in men’s and women’s sections respectively at the Polo grounds.

Following the Asian Games protocol, two archers from each country made the cut into the elimination round as Jayanta Talukdar made an exit with promising Army archer Gurucharan Besra (666 points) making the last-16 along with topper Tarundeep, who logged 676.

In the women’s recurve event, former world number one Deepika lived up to expectation to finish top along with Bombayla Devi Laishram with scores of 668 and 646 respectively as Laxmirani Majhi, who had won the national ranking here in January, failed to make the cut.

However, there was disappointment for reigning champions India as they had to be content with a goalless draw against lower-ranked Maldives in the women’s football competition, the only other discipline that kicked off the Shillong leg of the SAG here.

On Saturday, the hosts begin their campaign with the wrestlers, weightlifters and swimmers expected to grab medals on the first day of competitions in Guwahati. India also take the field in cycling, football, squash and kho-kho at various venues.