Criticizing Commonwealth Games – New Delhi 2010? Do think again, please!

"You should not just push for getting the Games cancelled. A lot of people out there I think are trying to do that. I don't think it's right. I don't think it's fair to the Indians. I don't think it's fair to the Commonwealth Games or to the athletes," the Sydney Morning Herald Sunday quoted Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite. He also added "There have been a lot of Games - Commonwealth and Olympic - which at this point of time hadn't looked all that flash."
Instead of talking baselessly, I decided on turning back the pages of history to find out what do we get/loose from such events as Common Wealth Games and Olympics.
Short-term economic impacts fall into four broad categories: direct, indirect, induced and total (sum of direct, indirect and induced) impacts:
Direct impacts arise from the organizing committee's spending to purchase goods and services in preparation for and during the games.
Indirect economic impacts are the share of visitors' spending that purchases goods and services.
Induced economic impacts are the multiplier effects of the direct and indirect impacts, created by re-spending the amounts involved in the direct and indirect impacts.
Longer-term economic impacts include:
National and international recognition of the host city and state through extensive media exposure. Community benefits including local volunteerism, job creation and training, youth and education programmes, funding for community economic development projects and cultural programmes. Infrastructure and communication benefits. Regeneration impacts. Housing impacts. New company investment in the city and region. Increased trade.
If you want a statistical data on how it helps holding such a event, let us take the example of Sydney Olympics, 2000:
Summary of Economic impacts of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games:
Business:
New Business generated by the Australian Technology Showcase  - $ 288 million
International exposure for business profile of Sydney, NSW and Australia – $ 6.1 billion
Business events committed since the end of the Games – $ 203 million
The Games:
Ticket sales revenue for organisers – $ 610 million 680 million
Sponsorship revenues for organisers – $ 1.1 billion
Private sector investment on Games-related venues – $ 6 billion
Source: Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2001
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Indian Govt. messed up the preparations big time. I know there are innumerous negatives around and neither do I support Governments’ mode of action. But since the main event is now just few days away, we will have enough time for the blame game after the event anyway! It is high time we should stop criticizing and let us spread some positive energy. And we don’t want to let go of some of the positives we can have from the future!

Gymnastics hall at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex

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Boxing ring at Talkatora Indoor Stadium

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Timber track at Indira Gandhi Sports complex – Cycling Stadium

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Residential Towers at the Khel Gram (CWG Village)

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It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the country stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the few honest men who are actually in the arena, whose faces are marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends themselves in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if they fail, at least fails while daring greatly. So that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
PS – Before leaving a comment or opposing my views/ideas, please care to go through the complete article, and you will understand why am I supporting the CWG - 2010 . Any generic comment based on opinions and mindset built out of Egos or with the SOLE purpose of opposing me will not be replied to. Please be calm and do not get personal, these are just my views and accurate facts collected from researches worldwide. Hope I could add one positive block to the already tarnished CWG’s image!

47 people read and said:

Anonymous said...

=P

I Dun ThiNk s0..

1st Time India kO chANCe MiLa hAi..& 2nD TyM iN aSiA..

TrY tO uNDeRsTaND !

Kevin said...

This CWG situation is like a student wasting resources early on and then at the end trying to cope up with the studies. Do you think such a student deserves to get a good ranking?

Probably the CWG will go ahead and get completed but there will be a dent in India's image at least in the games hosting department.

Akum said...

People should stop complaining, instead try to help the government. After all our nation's pride is at stake... I have full faith that the entire event will just turn our perfect..

BTW, nice informations

Rohan said...

Its something about the Indians.. We never appreciate the good things around us.. We always go for the negatives, point it out and a make a row about it, without actually doing anything to change it!

Rahil said...

A-Z you total spoke my heart out. Only difference was that i kept that to myself, you expressed it. In total support.

And thanks for the pics of the stadiums, till now i knew nothing about them. Rather stay didnt try to look for them.

Neha said...

I sooooooo wish this is the topic to my 2mw's surprise eco test, i got so many points already! :D

I am a person who literally adores sport of any form. I always love cheering for India even if i dont understand the sport! I completely agree with what you have put forward but my question is what is the point is supporting the games when we know we are not even having a good game in our hands with countries backing off!

Infrastructural work which has been completed have been speldid but what with the disappointments which weighs way too much for me to even care for CWG anymore...

mani said...

Sourav- Yes you did add a positive block and done in a beautiful manner.Thanks for the photographs. It will boost the morale of many.
@Kevin- What a lovelu analogy you have provided and what an important question you have put up.Brilliant indeed. But err no offense meant,just wanted to know would you ask the same question to your child (heaven forbid such a thing happen)if such a situation arises with him as the student? Yes you would!That is the sign of a rational and responsible parent. But that you would ask behind closed doors and with obviously many words of encouragement , that he/she still had a chance to perform well if taken care. Well I consider CWG as India's baby.

zephyr said...

Sourav, it is not the common man who is heralding the doom of the Games, but the beloved mediapersons who are singlemindedly determined to trash the image of the country. Instead of focusing on all the negative aspects of the Game they can give the profiles of our medal prospects and so on. That would deflect world attention from the OC and give them some time to at least put their act together. You can read
http://www.the-nri.com/index.php/2010/09/benefits-of-cwg-to-delhi-should-be-celebrated

for a foreigner's perception of the Games.

shail said...

Sourav, I will not comment on the CWG, but will touch on a point I disagree with

I disagree with this:
"...not the man who points out how the country stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better."

You really don't mean this sentence do you?? If there was none to point out where anyone stumbles or has gone wrong, or where someone could have done better, how would there be any progress?? It is only true friends and those who care what happens, who point out where you have stumbled and how things can be done better.

S said...

@moonshine - YOu don't think so, what?
India ko 1st time nai mila hai aisa chance, we had Pune CWG few years back too :)

@Kevin - Ohh so you meant that student should leave all hopes and get ready to fail, instead of trying at all?
And so India shouldn't ever try fixing up that dent, and we Indian should make that dent more visible? I am not so selfish!

@AK - Thank God some get the point! Thanks man, it is faith which will help us see the light! :)

@Rohan - I guess that is so inherent in us, we never appreciate the good things!

@Rahil - To find that I can express people's thought makes me really happy! Now at least we have reasons to support! :)

@Neha - Haha! let me know if that helped! :D
I know there are things wrong, but criticism won't take us anywhere now. Do you want to loose the few good things that might come out in the future too?

@Mani - Trust me your support made me more motivated! Thanks a LOT! :) :)

@Zephyr - I so wish you were added on my facebook, you could have known how some people (the so called commoners) are ripping the whole event apart now, much like Kalmadi!
And yes I know it is Media, which is screwing the minds around! Thanks for the link, found it really good! :)

@Shail - I knew someone would point that out to me, and thank God it was you! What I was trying to say is that if we all end up in just pointing and doing nothing about the change, where will we head to? And yes I agree it is coz of true friends who care we grow! But does negative (destructive) criticism help us in anyway? For me, a critic who advices me positively and tells me how to fix up the wrong things is really a good friend! :)

Bikram said...

Not sure what to say here the example you gave is of a country that MADE it a success.. all the data is fine
But We have spent all that money already, I think we are over budget already , with all these sudden problem we are spending on more , stuff that should not have happened..
SO in my foolinsh knowledge we are already loosing money...


In sydney olympics How many people were displaced, and IF they were what happened to them

In sydney olympics no wonder the economy got a boost, but have you seen the state of roads and all in delhi ...
the building for the village looks Beautiful from outside , did you see the inside i suggest go to bbc website it has pictures of inside of rooms and beleive me THey are very sub standard I will not live in there...

now it would be good to see the facts in the CWG games how much we have alreayd spent, how much we are going to spend, overall budget... That would be interesting

moreover If the countries boycott what good are the medals won then, it would not be healthy competition.. a few of the winners are not coming..

I was not against the CWG if they had gone through properly without the SLEAZE but now its more of a embarassement , each day listening how that athlete has withdrawn, the other country threatening

its like have a cricket world cup with India and countries who are not even in the same league.. the problem is anything we do now is corrupted

Anyway I like your post and your views and i respect them.. So all the best I guess i have grown old and i just cant stand any more sleaze... Its better in my eyes not to have ANYTHING rather then the embarassment..

S.R.Ayyangar said...

What wrong have the participating sportsmen have done? What is stopping YOU to welcome them with open arms and cheering them? The negative vibes all around is bound to demoralize them and do you want this to happen? Give a thought and support the game till the end. Thereafter you can do all the dissections.

Anshul said...

I read ur post completely and only after that I am commenting here.

You call people who criticize CWG as fools. Don't you think bigger fools are those who STILL think that the CWG games will make India shine? The harm has been done, India h...as got all the negative publicity it could get. It can't get any worse now.

An over bridge collapsed yesterday, a roof collapsed today. Still you think people who are criticizing the games are fools? Don't you think people who have turned blind to the mis-management and living in dreams should be termed that ?

I don't oppose CWG games. I want the games to be held in India and in a way that every country is left speechless. That is not just me, that is what every Indian wants. But if mere wishing could do this, we would as well be hosting Olympics!!

I still hope that the authorities will be able to get things right at the last moment and save the country from further embarrassment. But that doesn't stop me from criticizing the authorities, even if I am termed a fool.

Mani said...

‎@Anshul Please criticize the Authorities. By all means! But not the games itself and not when everyone is busy trying to salvage it at least. You will have plenty of time to do so later on. I will even join you in the front line when you d...o so. But you see the problem is that many people are wishing that the games flop in order to teach people some lessons.But the thing is that, people who need to be taught a lesson ,will not learn it that way andin the process it is India who will suffer.By criticising in excess you are just demoralising the lower level staff who are breaking their backs to get the work done. India has got negative publicity all over the world. fine. So should we also join them amnd slam ourselves along with the herd?

Anshul said...

‎@ Mani: Never did I say that I criticize the games. Nor did I say that I wish the games flop. Even I feel bad when people say so.

But you can't blame the people entirely when they show such emotions. Visit Delhi once if you haven't done it ...recently. I was there 2 weeks back. The stadium looks awesome, but that feeling ends once when you come out and see the roads and footpaths that have been dug in the name of CWG. CP, which was such a beautiful area, is in a total mess now. The general infrastructure of Delhi has worsened, thanks to the CWG authorities.

We can put a blame on rains now for all the failures. But don't you think that the work should have been completed by June itself, before the rain starts? Doesn't that again show the incompetency of the authorities? Add to that their attitude when they are questioned (just read Sheila Dixit's or Suresh Kalmadi's remarks from past issues of newspapers)- and you get the reaction you see people displaying now. So if people are showing such a reaction it is more out of frustration than because they think ill of the country.

You say we'l have plenty of time in criticizing later. No we won't do that. Because we'll be living in false glory of having organized the games wonderfully with all the pomp and show. For I still believe that we'll be able to do so, considering that we are good at doing everything at the eleventh hour.

I again say that I am not against the games. But yes I am against the authorities. So is every other Indian who is criticizing the games. And calling them fool will not change it.

S said...

‎@Mani - Thank you for all the support and positivity and of course for maintaining that practical sense! I wish we all had it! :)

@Anshul - After so much efforts to show people the positive side, you are still pressing on the negatives? If ...we get a cut in our hand by some KNIFE, do we chop and throw it off or try to nurse it by patience and love? Here hand is CWG and the KNIFE is Kalmadi (aka authorities), tell me what are you against, the chopper or the chopped?

Anshul said...

Looks like you didn't read my message properly. I have twice said it that I am NOT against the games, but I am against the authorities. Going by your example, I'll first throw away the knife, and then nurse the hand.

Wish your positivity cou...ld turn the tables and get back the athletes who have ticked off their names from the games, and stop others from doing so.

Being positive doesn't mean that you turn blind and deaf to the situation. Kalmadi and team is there for that. We don't need more people following suit. Wish everyone had that practical sense!

And if the authorities are now trying to take stock of the situation, it is because of this negativity only.

Going by your example, I'll first throw away the knife, and then nurse the hand. Bandaging the hand while holding the knife is going to hurt it again and again.

Hope you are taking my comments in a good spirit. I am here for a healthy discussion and not to get personal :)

Birkam said...

Wow I am happy that I am a FOOL.. at least i am on the ground with the reality... Better a FOOL then a intelligent person who wud want a JUGGAD to make the CWG work at the expense of shamelessness..

Instead of channelising the effort to mak...e sure this doesnot happen again, WHICH it WILL HAppen aGAIN. Instead of thinking of the reputation that the country has been put to
Instead of Saving some repute which the rest of the world has already kicked us for, with most of the record holders saying they will not be attending the games,
Do you still think IF these athletes dont come and if a few countries back out the games will be a success still...

Come on think of the bigger picture here.. its not jsut the games its lots of other things associated with it ...

Mani said...

@Sourav thanks buddy for keeping up the spirit.
@Anshul we don't at all mind constructive criticism! It is good if some one points out genuine mistakes, but my point is it shouldn't be with malicious intent. Yes i m frm Delhi and I have suf...fered the filth, the rubbishes, traffic woes since years and thats why I wish vehemently that my blood n sweat yield results. N that is why I m stil holding on to hope.
And Anshul ,Bikram- well agreed with all your points. So what action would you like to take now as a responsible citizen? I mean you have made your point, n yes you have spoken out vociferously . So what next? What ACTION to be precise? You would nt want to be catagorised as inactive spectator would you?

Anshul said...

@ Mani:
1) Remove Kalmadi (an action that should have been taken couple of months back when the corruption in CWG was disclosed).

2) Appoint someone competent (even Lalit Modi could have done a better job, even though he has been branded a...s corrupt). PM should step in himself because it is now a matter of national honour.

3) Ministers should stop saying that things are under control (read minister's and officials statement in yesterday's and day before yesterday's newspaper- they don't think that there is anything wrong with the games village).

4) Come on Mr Kalmadi be a man, accept your mistake in front of the country. Indians are known for their kindness and forgiveness. Every Indian will come forward and help make the games success if you come forward and say that yes we goofed up and we need the support of the nation to save our honour.
If you keep on saying that nothing is wrong, put the blame on rain, find excuses, people will react the way they are doing now.

So Mani and Sourav what do you suggest we should do? It is easy to sign up for a movement on a webpage and brand others as fools, but that is not going to make CWG a success, isn't it?

Birkam said...

@Mani Padma :- What actions well to start with SACK the committe RIGHT NOW... Stop wasting public money which has already gone down the drain... The ministry the PM Manmohan singh to go on record and apologise for the fiasco and Hopefully ...come out with the Truth.. maybe postpone the games till 2011 when all this chaos can be rectified.

The properties , the money of Each Committe member there Families from the Committe Head to the PEON in the committe taken over, Let then start and BEG for the rest of there Lives .. and Please Please Please NO MORE COMMITTES or COMMISSIONS to look into the fiasco.. Justice to be done NOW not when we as Fools have forgotten about all this in years to come...

If the Games have to happen make sure ALL athlets participate, thats the true competetion.. and God sake next time onwards Not to put there Hands up for holding such events ... This would be a start...

Birkam said...

all i can do is LAUGH and SMILE jo aapne kaha... good I am indeed a FOOL

Anshul said...

@Ayyangar Sir we want to welcome the athletes from around the world with open arms, we want to show them that Indians can organize things beautifully, we want to tell them that "Look, you were thinking we can't do this. Now do it better than us!". But alas, that is not possible. Because the athletes are refusing to come to India seeing the pathetic condition.

Mani said...

‎@Anshul :) as i had stated earlier too, that if I can't be on the field then i wil not demoralise the persons who are at it on field. That is the purpose of my cheering the games and i wil come to why ths is important again. But if you wan...t a specific action then I have been already assigned official duties for that period. When whole of India will be celebrating the navaratras we wil hav to be on ground. But no issues . Thats part of my job. Now coming back to the cheering part- why it is important. A few my friends have already been assignd on field duties. That which are crucial. N ths persons were feeling so nervous and demoralised at the negativity flying around. That which was a matter of pride for them has become a cause for stress. Thanks to all the enthusiastic n excessive criticism. Tel me, at ths rate, how wil they be able to discharge their duties efficiently. I m sure, at ths precise moment some OC is swivelling in his chair and barking at a poor lost junior- nalayako, tumhare waje se mereko sun na par raha hai. Suspend kar dunga. Wel that was beside the point. But my query stil remains unanswered. What you people have suggested are what you want the Govt to do. I Wantd to know what you PLAN TO DO TO MAKE YOUR SUGGFSTIONS WORK? And again family feuds always occur, but that doesnt mean we allow outsiders to have a free show

S said...

Ayyangar Sir had put it very aptly! Help the game and kill the suckers!

@Mani - I find really weird that no one has any plan of action, instead of just saying the same thing over and over and OVER again!!

@Anshul - Some Aussies athletes have... decided on not coming to India? But the Aussie cricket team is already here! Sounds strange?

@ALL - What where WE doing, when Lalit Modi sucked up all the money, ohh yes we were enjoying and supporting the IPL! And what are we doing now, the Agony Aunts and Uncles? We are being the Baap of Kalmadi at just talking and not doing ANYTHING at all!

PS - I called people who criticize DESTRUCTIVELY, the fools! If your are getting me wrong, that is another sign of not following the logic!

Anshul said...

@Sourav: Didn't knew that Aussie cricket team is coming here for CWG :P.
The athletes who pulled out were dismayed by the security condition at the games village.

Everyone cheered Lalit Modi because even though he sucked up all the money, he at least did not goof up in organizing the games.

@Mani:
Applauds for your efforts Mani. :-) You might meet my friend Megha there, she also registered as a volunteer for the event.

Yes I feel bad for the volunteers there. And I feel bad for what they are going through because of this criticism. I strongly believe that the volunteers and the juniors working there are giving more than 100% to make this event a success. But because of the authorities sitting there, their efforts are going waste.

Do you really feel that if we all were singing praises instead of criticizing, the CWG team would have been impressed by seeing the preparation ? Do you think it is because of us speaking negatively about it, that it all started? Its an open world now. You can't hide things from the world, considering free press. Yeah I agree that the media went a bit too far in digging the dirt which started this negative vibes.

I can't join you in Delhi as a volunteer,if that is the sort of contribution you are looking for, considering that I am in Hyderabad with a job and responsibility that doesn't let me take leave at a stretch for so many days.
However, I did what I can. Apart from my job, I also work as a sub-editor for a youth magazine in Hyderabad, and we have been actively spreading awareness and positivity about the event through our articles.

So Sourav I'm not "just saying the same thing over and over and OVER again!!", I am doing something about it too. But that doesn't mean that I'll turn blind eye to the incompetency of the authorities (oops I said it again ;) ).

S said...

@Anshul - It was jjust my way of comparing things, what I meant to say was some Australians find it safe, while for some it is risky?

Current update : Aussies are coming over. They have confirmed it officially. Check sources.

Well, lets take it all along. I am trying to collect email ids of the concerned authorities, Indian and all relevant worldwide too; help me with that too. :)

Anonymous said...

Sourav, firstly, I appreciate your good intentions. But I strongly oppose the idea of not postponing the event. This is because, we Indians (I dont include the corrupt bast**ds calling themselves politicians) have this habit of forgiving too soon and forgetting the insult inflicted to the nation. I reckon a delay from schedule will cause the sleeping govt enough shame that they would go all guns blazing and give enough beating to those bast**ds involved a right kick up their ar**. We have always forgiven them and if we do this time then there is no difference from
past. I also know we will conduct it anyway as per schedule and i also assure you that even people
like you who supported the going ahead of CWGwill forget and forgive right after the event
because we will dwell on the pride that we pulled it through.

Aashish Sood said...

Hey Sourav

I have now written two posts on things that lacking in CWG, some in light humour and some intended to be a comment; all with a serious intent of sarcasm.

But all said and done, I want the CWG to be successful, however it may be, this time around only and not to be postponed next year as I do not think that postponing the event is really going to be that useful anyhow.

But I am also not that genial to forgive the corrupt politicians and contractors who have brought Delhi, and India, to this stage and would like to see them publicly castrated once the games are done and over with.

A well written post, and the comments provide an even better knowledge and depth into the discussion!

S said...

@kattankaapi - Thank you. See by postponing we can't what we couldn't achieve in so many years! Neither do I call 'them' Indians any more! You know a delay might just allow them to sleep some more time.

You are wrong my friend, I am not the one who forgive, not these blood sucking losers at least! We will take pride, but only after setting these reptiles on fire! ;)

@Ashish - Sorry man, I am yet to check them. I will do it today itself. Exaclt I don't support postponing the event either! Neither am I any mood to forget ot forgive! All said and done, we may all get together and do something solid that those losers need!

Thanks, really for the appreciation and I appreciate I every comment and the views! :)

Anonymous said...

its no doubt a beautifully written post saurav.. u write good n after much research is now a universal fact..
the pics are good.. u have high contacts seemingly, where did u get the pics from :P
i dont know.. my supporting or being against the CWG isn't going to do any good, the thing is i have no say here.. the stakes are of only the few ppl involved in the mess.. regarding the ground level workers, well, they dont care a bit about the success or failure of CWG, for them its the money they get paid.. wearing patriotism on the sleeves will do them no good..
i dont want my nation to get a bad name, i would be labeled a traitor if i do so, but the bad has already happened, the world media has ripped india apart, even if the CWG happens cool from now, am sure a developing country, more so india, will not get another chance to host a game for a long time to come...
the economic impact u mentioned.. well, diff regions attract diff opportunities, india cant generate the same level of economics the amount australia can, we simply dont have enough international good will..
and regarding the infrastructure n employment, well india shouldn't be needing an excuse of this kind to build upon that, we have china in the neighborhood to teach us that..
there is enough to say, n yes, u are right when u say, negativity dont do any good.. i am very unsure of how the games would progress, i will just see what happens after the games get over.. a lot is at stake..
the games going kaput or going fine.. the money that has been pocketed by those goons will never be put to sue again, we dont have any policy to bring it back, not that i know.. i am very disillusioned, i just need a gun..

Kevin Rodrigues said...

@Sourav, No I meant the student should expect what he deserves his work will get nothing more nothing less.
That is not like fixing up a dent. It is more like placing a basket to cover up the dent. There is no need to make it more visible, it is for everyone to see including you and me.

Smitha said...

You know, I have nothing against India hosting the CWG or the CWG games itself. What I do resent is the fact that having taken up such a responsibility, the organizing committee had a commitment to deliver it's promises, and that they don't seem to be doing.

Surely 7 years was good enough time to get things together. The reasons things seem to be falling apart is because of rampant corruption and lack of ownership of issues. I feel bad that India could have used this opportunity to showcase our talents, improve our sports(and other) infrastructure. Instead, what we have is a very scary situation where we still don't know if the games will go ahead - that is bad.

If we had worked on it, and delivered a world class games, all the benefits you talk about would have been there, and there would have been no naysayers.

S said...

@Vivek - Thank you, though I am not worth so much of praise! :)
Those pictures were taken from sources! :p
I know it won't make much difference, but trust me man positivity and every bit helps! Think of the so many Indian Athletes raring to go on their home country! Let us not lose whatever good we can still make out of it!
Dude whenever you get a gun, get one more may be we can both go hunting together!

@KEVIN - But if he is trying, you will ask him not to? Koshish karne se dost aandhiyon mein diye jalte hain! :)

@Smitha - I understand. No Indian has anything against at all! organizing committee sucks, and who doesnt know that fact!
What am asking everyone here is to be fair to the Athletes, the labour and the tourists who have come here to for the games!

Be fair to our nation, and help us achieve what those losers pocketed and then teach a good lesson!

Palak Vasant said...

Phew...much has been said and talked about this Sourav. I honestly appreciate your efforts to make people re-think about this, it is something worth considering. You are being factual but it is in context with other developed nations, which may or may not imply to our nation. But one thing that I believe is - "There are no gains without pains", yes we are suffering here, our nation's pride within and outside is at stake. But at-least there is an attempt amidst all the corrupt officials few are sharing a brighter vision. Probably we Indian's should embrace the effort that is our own blood & sweat shackled, fuming is not the right way. I wonder how many of us actually stand up and do something good for our nation each day, then when why so many shouts, huh? At-least someone has conceived a dream to make it better, negating it is no road to the right! Thanks for writing this.

S said...

@Palak - I have nothing, but a thank you! :)

How do we know said...

if they want support, at the very least, they should start a sentence like "we goofed up. we are sorry. Now pls put in a hand and help us haul this through." THEN, the country will pitch in. If they start their sentences with differential levels of hygiene and assure us that everything is under control.. well.. what can we do? Yes, we do feel rather fool-ed.

I dont think its in the common man's hands to either support or condemn the games. we are not the players in this game. So might as well stop thinking and start doing sth where we CAN make a difference.

How do we know said...

if they want support, at the very least, they should start a sentence like "we goofed up. we are sorry. Now pls put in a hand and help us haul this through." THEN, the country will pitch in. If they start their sentences with differential levels of hygiene and assure us that everything is under control.. well.. what can we do? Yes, we do feel rather fool-ed.

I dont think its in the common man's hands to either support or condemn the games. we are not the players in this game. So might as well stop thinking and start doing sth where we CAN make a difference.

Bhavana Rao said...

Here you go!:)
Sourav, this is regarding the last paragrah(forgive me for my poor english vocabulary, I tried to understand as much as I can)"The credit belongs to the few honest men who are actually in the arena, whose faces are marred by dust and sweat ...and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends themselves in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if they fail, at least fails while daring greatly. "
Who are you referring to?
Is it for those workers who are constructing the stadium in the "humble" village of Delhi OR are you talking about the souls of the dead people who died during the bridge collapse? or those sportsmen who are also struggling to make thier mark by living in rags??!
I personally feel pity to the last sect I mentioned, because most of us do not even bother to encouage any other sport other than cricket(there might be some exceptions ofcourse!).
I truely appreciate the "positive vibes" you are trying to send to those honest men (what about women? :)).
Do you have any base on comparing to Sydney Olympics that the economic impacts can be similar to our CWG?

Abhishek said...

Yes you are right, people are criticizing CWG begore they even took off.
All is not lost we can still makeup and by some hardships games still can be of world class.
One thing more if Athletes could get some World Records Games would be revived.

Giribala said...

Silver lining! Felt good after seeing the pictures and the positivity :-)

Vee said...

Sourav -
Your post on CWG prompted me to write a post.
http://psychesvisage.blogspot.com/2010/09/will-father-fail.html

nkr4068 said...

The post surely is good and the facts are true. I am even sure the games is gonna be a success because for that to happen, the stadiums have to be of the top quality and actually it is. I think government intervined at the right moment and cleared away quite some of the messes at the right time helping the cause big time!!

Malvika said...

Have never followed anyone's blog because even though the reads are interesting, I become restless (not a virtual person)and then turn to a book instead...
This is one blog I see myself visiting often.
You just inspired me to maintain my blog...the structure is neat

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Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

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