Ahmedabad prepares for 2030 Commonwealth Games with Glasgow experience
Ahmedabad Experience Center inaugurated in Glasgow
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi inaugurated the Amdavad Experience Center in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday. This center aims to showcase Ahmedabad’s heritage, culture, and sporting ambitions in anticipation of the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which Ahmedabad is set to host. The inauguration took place on the sidelines of the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Sanghavi was joined by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P T Usha and various Scottish dignitaries for the opening of the center. The exhibition at the center highlights Ahmedabad’s extensive history, its status as a Unesco World Heritage City, its sports infrastructure, hospitality offerings, and Gujarati cuisine.
Describing Ahmedabad as a city where historical elements and modern developments coexist, Sanghavi stated that the experience center provides visitors with a preview of what athletes and spectators can expect in 2030. He emphasized that Ahmedabad offers a distinctive combination of rich history, vibrant culture, enduring heritage, world-class sports infrastructure, warm hospitality, and globally appreciated Gujarati cuisine.
Sanghavi also used a social media platform to invite individuals in and around Glasgow to visit the center. He encouraged them to experience the “colours, culture, flavours and spirit of Gujarat” before the Games arrive in Ahmedabad. A video shared by the Deputy Chief Minister featured garba and dandiya performances, involving both local residents and international participants, which he described as a celebration uniting people through Gujarat’s traditional dance forms.
Preparations and international collaboration for 2030 Games
An Indian delegation, led by Sanghavi, is currently undergoing intensive training in Glasgow. This training is part of a meticulous preparation process for Ahmedabad to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with the goal of delivering a world-class multi-sport event. Officials overseeing different aspects of the 2030 Games are gaining first-hand experience from the ongoing edition in Glasgow as preparations for the centenary Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad intensify.
Sanghavi, who also holds the sports portfolio in Gujarat, noted that officials responsible for various operational aspects of the Games have traveled to Glasgow to learn the intricacies of staging a multi-sport event. The delegation includes teams managing sports venues, parking facilities, accreditation, sports facilities, athlete housing, and overall Games delivery planning. These teams are participating in observation sessions with the Games committee.
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted the importance of interacting with international federations to understand their expectations for accommodating thousands of athletes and officials in Ahmedabad. He mentioned that every federation has its own regulations, and athletes have specific expectations regarding accommodation and facilities. The delegation aims to learn from the experience on the ground to meet these requirements.
Earlier in the year, in April, Sanghavi held discussions with officials from Commonwealth Sport during a high-level delegation’s visit to Gujarat. This visit was to review infrastructure plans and preparations following Ahmedabad’s confirmation as the host city. The delegation, led by Commonwealth Sport President Dr. Donald Rukare, met with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar and inspected proposed competition venues as part of the planning process. Rukare also extended an invitation to the Gujarat Chief Minister to attend the ongoing Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
India’s sporting ambitions and performance
The 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad are anticipated to play a significant role in enhancing India’s sporting infrastructure. They are also expected to bolster the country’s ambitions of potentially hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. Sanghavi emphasized that hosting the centenary event of the Commonwealth in Ahmedabad is a matter of pride for India, and the city is also set to organize several other international tournaments.
During the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Team India has achieved a strong performance, securing 11 medals so far. This tally includes two gold, six silver, and three bronze medals. The medal winners include Mirabai Chanu (gold in weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold in women’s shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver in weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver in weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver in weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver in men’s high jump), Harjinder Kaur (silver in weightlifting), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver in weightlifting), BindyarDevi (bronze in weightlifting), Shilpa K. Shyla (bronze in women’s shot put F57), and Jhandu Kumar (bronze in para powerlifting).
The Indian delegation’s training in Glasgow also includes participation in sports diplomacy sessions, which are scheduled to continue until August 2.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
