The first mega sporting event in the Federal Democratic Nepal saw its first elected President Dr Ram Baran Yadav declare the Games open in presence of a fully packed stadium. Along with the president, Vice-president Parmananda Jha, Chief Justice Kedar Nath Giri, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, deputy PM Bamdev Gautam, Speaker Subas Nembang, chief of three security forces, diplomats were also present in the opening ceremony.
Speaking during the ceremony prime minister Dahal promised to build one stadium in each region and another international standard stadium in Kathmandu in the near future.
Nepali taekwondo star Dipak Bista lit the flame to mark the opening of the Games. Along with Bista, other Olympians including taekwondo star Sangina Baidhya, weightlifter Jagdish Shrestha and athletes Hari Bahadur Rokaya and Bimala Rana Magar carried the torch.
The three-hour opening ceremony started with march past of nearly 3,200 athletes with flags of the respective eight teams that include five regional and three departmental teams.
The Nepali Army showered flower petals over the stadium from chopper to welcome the players during the march past and for the first time in Nepal, three bands—from the Nepal Army, the Police and the Armed Police Force—played together and showed various informative slogans through finely choreographed dance in the field.
There time South Asian Games marathon winner Baikuntha Manandhar hoisted flag in the ceremony. Debu Thapa, Manita Shahi, Ayesha Shakya, Karisma Karki and Chandra Kala Thapa supported him.
10th South Asian Games gold medalist Kamal Bahadur Adhikari took oath on behalf of the players whereas FIFA referee Gyani Raja Maharjan took oath for the referees.
At the same time, 700 students sitting in the eastern parapet displayed mass messages. In the meanwhile, students from VS Niketan and Nightingale performed Nepali indigenous dances representing high mountains, hilly regions and tarai.
Two hundred players each from wushu, ITF taekwondo and karate presented kata together. As the darkness grew in the stadium, the flood lights came out to make the event more colorful. Altogether 7,500 students, athletes, Army, Police and Armed Forces personnel participated in the event.
The main attraction of the evening was the fireworks, for which eight specialists along with materials were imported from India. National Sports Council (NSC) has claimed that this event is bigger than the opening ceremony of the 8th South Asian Games held in Nepal 10 years ago. Almost Rs 10 million out of the 200 millions allocated for the Games has been allotted for the opening and closing ceremonies.
But the more concerning part for the organizers is the uncertainty of the continuation of the Games as the dispute over PLA’s participation has not been resolved yet. Though PLA didn’t participate in the opening ceremony, it has threatened to disrupt the Games if it was not allowed to participate tomorrow onward. Maoist’s PLA commander Nanda Kishor Pun has confirmed that around 150 players from PLA will participate in the six disciplines.
But NSC Member Secretary Jivan Ram Shrestha insisted they haven’t reached any consensus regarding PLA’s participation. PLA is demanding participation in the Games in the capacity of departmental teams like Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police.
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