With a spectacular blend of elements of ‘artificial intelligence’ and eco-friendly technology, the Hangzhou Asian Games got underway here on Saturday with a unique opening ceremony that gave a glimpse of the ‘carbon-free’ fireworks of the future.
The pollution-free, brightly lit ceremony, which took place amid a diplomatic row over the denial of visas to three Indian players from Arunachal Pradesh, was a wonderful amalgamation of technology, China’s cultural history and the spirit of the continent’s unity.
The ceremony, which lasted for about two hours, showcased the interrelationships between China, Asia and the world in the new era, as well as the unity, love and friendship of Asian people. The ceremony attempted to showcase the spirit of China and Asia in which the country’s cultural heritage and the blend of thousands of years old civilization and modern technology was shown in very beautiful scenes.
In this, China’s modernization efforts were beautifully presented. The strength of China’s technology was showcased everywhere, lighting the ‘flame’ of the Games in a unique way. In this, digital technology was used as a virtual torchbearer.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the opening of the Games, which will see 12,000 athletes from 45 countries compete for top honors through October 8. Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) acting president Randhir Singh, International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach, heads of several countries, officials of National Olympic Committees and other dignitaries were also present at the event.
These games were postponed for a year due to the increase in Covid-19 cases in China last year. Keeping in mind the idea of ’Green Asian Games’ or ‘Carbon Free Games’, digital fireworks were used in the opening ceremony but this created an even more exciting atmosphere.
The ‘Big Lotus’ stadium with a capacity of about 80,000 spectators was decorated to welcome the players of the participating countries. The Chinese government refused to grant visas to three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh, after which India canceled the visit of its Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha was also not present on the occasion as she is currently in Paraguay with the parliamentary team, although other officials attended the ceremony.
There was thunderous applause as India’s nearly 100 athletes and officials entered the stadium for the march, with team flag bearers Harmanpreet Singh and Lovlina Borgohain at the forefront carrying the tricolour. The Indian team’s parade stood at eighth position.
Only Ramkumar Ramanathan from the tennis team took part in the parade as other players have a match on Sunday. The male athletes were wearing bandhgala jackets and khaki kurta, while the female athletes were wearing blouses covered till the neck and khaki colored sarees. 655 athletes from India are participating in these games.
After welcoming the parties from the country which lasted for about an hour, a 30-minute cultural program won the hearts of the audience. Then after lighting the flame the official anthem was presented. China also announced its recovery from the pandemic by hosting the continent’s largest multi-sport event.
In terms of the number of players, this is the biggest competition in its history so far. There is no doubt that the Olympics are the biggest multi-event games in the world, but many more players compete in the Asian Games. More than 12,000 players will participate in Hangzhou.
About 11,000 players participated in the Olympic Games held in Tokyo, while about 10,500 players will compete in next year’s Paris Olympics. More than 11,000 athletes participated in the 2018 Asian Games held in Indonesia.
Apart from Hangzhou, the 19th season of the Asian Games will be organized in five other cities. These cities are Huzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing, Jinhua and Wenzhou. During this period, 45 countries and regions of Asia will compete for 481 gold medals in 40 sports and 61 events. For the first time, e-sports has also been included in the medal sports.
Even before Saturday’s opening ceremony, competitions in football, volleyball, cricket, sailing, rowing, table tennis and modern pentathlon had started.