Colourful opening raises 13th SA Games curtains

A colourful opening ceremony launched the 13th South Asian Games, the biggest multi-sport extravaganza of the region, at the Dasarath Rangasala in Kathmandu yesterday, with words of peace and unity in diversity of the South Asian region writ large on the displays and performances.

Glitz and glamour set aside for a refreshing change, the more-than-three-hour-long ceremony had a feel of authenticity about it, projecting in abundance the rich cultural heritage of the Himalayan Kingdom and the South Asian region as a whole.  

Gautam Buddha and Lord Shiva were featured prominently in the opening ceremony of the Games, which is based on the principles of ‘Peace, prosperity, unity and development’.  

Starting with the marchpast of athletes and officials and ending with a prolonged lighting of firecrackers, the programme had segments dedicated to the traditional culture of different regions of the host nation and those of the six other participating nations, with the performances supported by very local musical instruments and artistes.

The marchpast was followed by speeches of dignitaries, including Nepal’s president Bidhya Devi Bhandari, who officially opened the Games, during which nearly 3,000 athletes will vie for individual and collective supremacy over the next 10 days. 

Jeevan Ram Shreshtha, the chairman of South Asian Olympic Committee, took pride in the fact that Nepal is hosting these games after overcoming the devastation left by the 2015 Earthquake, that this edition will feature the highest number of disciplines (26) in the Games’ history and that three cities will host it for the first time. 

“We welcome you all to the birthplace of Lord Buddha and the home of the tallest peak in the world, Mount Everest,” Ram Shreshtha said in his welcome speech, which he finished by stressing that ‘We are one, South Asia is one’. 

The Games’ torch was relayed through the venue by prominent Nepalese sportspersons and lit by Deepak Bishtha, a four-time SA Games gold medallist in Taekwondo. Paras Khadka, the recently-retired captain of the Nepal men’s cricket team, hoisted the Games flag as the routine proceedings gave way to a night of celebration. 

However, there was not much to celebrate for the Bangladesh contingent as the country’s athletes suffered defeats in most of the disciplines earlier in the day. 

The men’s volleyball team, despite a spirited performance, lost to Pakistan in the semifinals, being left with an opportunity to grab a bronze medal in the place-deciding match against Sri Lanka today. 

There were defeats too for women shuttlers in the team event against the host country while both men and women lost against Nepal in their opening kho kho matches. 

But there could be reason to cheer for the men in red and green today in the karate discipline, where Bangladesh are hoping to win a couple of gold medals, while there will be a lot of attention on the opening men’s football match where Bangladesh will hope to ease past Bhutan.