HT Archives: Spotlight on Delhi as ‘82 Asiad opens with big ceremony

President Zail Singh opened the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi with a grand ceremony, celebrating unity as 5,000 athletes from 23 nations competed.

On a cloudy winter afternoon, with a mild sun, this ancient city sprang to life to the strains of music and dance as President Zail Singh formally declared open the Asian Games amidst thunderous applause from 75,000 spectators at the ultra-modern Nehru Stadium on November 19, 1982.

It was a historic moment as the Games have come to India after a gap of 31 years. (HT Photo)

Seldom have Indian crowds witnessed such a magnificent show as the solemn and colourful opening ceremony.

The ninth Asian Games has brought to this city about 5,000 participants to vie for supremacy in 21 disciplines in the spirit of “friendship and fraternity forever”. For 15 days, it is going to be high voltage drama replete with thrills and excitement as the fate of each gold medal is decided.

The spectacular opening ceremony that can be compared with the best in international competitions is the fulfilment of a dream and fruition of a two-year old ceaseless labour. For all those who worked round-the-clock during the past few months, the agony is over and the ecstatic moments have begun

For sheer spectacle, the 90-minute ceremonial function was unsurpassed with everything going with clocklike precision, the fanfare the trumpets, the releasing of 5,000 multicoloured balloons and 2,000 white pigeons — a symbol of peace — a three-gun salute, the driving in of President Zail Singh in his huge limousine escorted by his beautifully attired mounted guards, all added lustre to the greatest show of Asia.

The pomp and show and the colourful pageantry were at once a cameraman’s delight In keeping with the day’s events was the enchanting games hymn: “Ath swagatham, shubh mangalam” composed by Narendra Sharma and directed by Pandit Ravi Shankar. The English version of the hymn, whose theme is “unity in diversity”, was read out by Amitabh Bachchan who was present in the VIP box.

Among the dignitaries who watched the splendour of the inaugural ceremony were Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who celebrated her 65th birthday, International Olympic Committee president Juan Anthonio Samaranch, members of the diplomatic corps, and several prominent sportsmen and politicians.

It was a historic moment as the Games have come to India after a gap of 31 years. When India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, gave shape to his idea of bringing the Asian nations together, only 489 participants from 11 countries took part in six disciplines. And when PM Gandhi’s dream came true, the Games have achieved gigantic proportions.

Reminiscent of the Republic Day parade, the President arrived in state in his black limousine escorted by his mounted bodyguards at the stroke of 3pm. An overcast sky and flag-waving girls in multihued dresses greet ed the President as he entered the stadium. He was received by Bhalindra Singh, president of the Asian Games Federation, and chairman of the Special Organising Committee Buta Singh. The Bodyguards presented the President with the Rashtriya Salute and then the President was introduced to the members of the AGP and AGSOC. He was then escorted to the President’s Box.

All the 23 nations taking part in the Games trooped in for a colourful march past in alphabetical order with Afghanistan in their maroon coats and grey trousers in the vanguard and India, the hosts, in their blue coats and pink turbans (women wore pink sarees), bringing up the rear.

The immaculately clad Japanese in their maroon blazers and cream-coloured trousers, the smartly attired Chinese in their all-cream uniforms and the Koreans in their superbly clad white dresses were the most impressive.

All these nations, especially Pakistan, were given a round of applause by the huge gathering. Laos, in spite of their small contingent, were also cheered on. The Kuwaitis, Bahranians, Mongolians, and Iranians, Iraqis and the Filipinos all won the hearts of the spectators. Following a request by Iraq, the team was separated from Iran with Indonesia filling the gap in the march past.

After the impressive march past, the Asian Games flag of 1978 was ceremonially brought in and presented by the Governor of Bangkok to AGF president Bhalindra Singh at the Tribune of Honour, and then the flag for the ninth Asian Games was carried for hoisting.

An “Appu” was hoisted with the help of a huge balloon, and soon the torch lit at the National Stadium, the venue of the first Asian Games, was brought into the stadium by Gurbachan Singh Randhawa. Gurbachan handed over the torch to “Flying Sikh” Milkha Singh and Kanwaljit Bal, and after the two ran about 300 metres, they passed it on to hockey Olympian Balbir Singh and Diana Symes. These two climbed up the stairs and lit the Flame in the huge cauldron situated in the middle of the opposite stands.