2003 Afro-Asian Games
afroasian game officially known first afroasian game afroasian game unofficially known inaugural afroasian game major international multisport event held hyderabad india october excluding football hockey began october october respectively november afroasian game largest sporting event ever held hyderabad one largest india second commonwealth game athlete volume scale game exceeds even two asian game held delhi athlete volume number participating nation number participating nation athlete country competed game total sporting event eight discipline conducted also country sent official representative game first afroasian game held nearly two decade delay shift cancellation prolonged amount time game considerably reduced interest preliminary decision hosting game venue shuttled new delhi kuwait city last moment new delhi favoured hyderabad hosted national game india game however lesser scope asian game commonwealth game since nation participated eight discipline game witnessed one new world record thirtyseven country – unprecedented participating nation – least one medal game idea hold intercontinental sporting event asia africa initiated april new delhi proposed venue however unknown circumstance venue shifted kuwait game proposed held political instability led cancellation game proposal reconsidered new delhi chosen venue game game scheduled plan went wrong due inefficient communication member could come force proposal renewal game accepted subsequently pune new delhi proposed venue however postponed till november slow preparation led indefinite postponement occurrence delhi pulled led circulation rumour game jinxed later ioa announced olympic council asia oca association national olympic committee africa anoca sanctioned new date game also venue changed hyderabad delhi pulled critic point successful hosting nd national game india held hyderabad main reason hyderabad chosen indian government spent ₹ billion u million afroasian game making game one expensive sporting event held hyderabad preparation completed within day event began indian olympic association ioa decided set central head development game thus afroasian game secretariat set greenland guest house organize monitor manage activity related game functional organizing subcommittee formed oversee development venue infrastructure various function divided within committee special officerincharge game sabyasachi ghosh secretarygeneral game ali moradi large development planning association meant great amount interconnectivity communication requirement hour call centre interpreter set using closed user group cug circuit large web networking facility built connect hotel medium centre stadium transportation committee would help easing pressure one committee since african continent wellconnected accreditation committee dispatched abuja nigeria host city allafrica game accreditation committee brought sportspersons official africa hyderabad software company cmc limited developed game event management system gem helped organizer efficiently manage event across sport venue worked closely doordarshan official television broadcaster game provide result sporting competition live game information additionally cuttingedge technology like implementation georeferenced map geographic information system gi implemented ensure smooth rapid flow work month september less month away afroasian game transport ministry hyderabad released large number luxury vehicle used game second time span one year transport ministry done first time nd national game india effort spruce city time game organizer arranged several bus van car ferry athlete guest accommodation athlete foreign official posed serious problem organiser contrary olympics related multisport event provide actual game village available athlete stay sport authority andhra pradesh saap initially wanted separate game village game could arrange even though hyderabad hosted nd national game india game village built organizer could utilise due severe financial problem estimated ₹ million u million would required upgrade existing game village government andhra pradesh sport authority andhra pradesh saap instead opted obtain bulk booking major hotel city provide accommodation athlete foreign dignitary medium police personnel drawn various district andhra pradesh provide first layer security addition city policeman deployed various place including event venue major hotel city strict antisabotage measure taken provide security athlete hotel also hour access control system placed sniffer dog used sanitise area facilitate foreign athlete official four immigration counter set airport time limit minute laid clear athlete official improve security speed six interpreter russian japanese mandarin chinese korean french arabic present airport addition specially trained immigration personnel stationed round clock airport lot pressure upon secretariat smooth performance game ioa would keenly observe afroasian game preparation commonwealth game delhi india also official beijing china venue summer olympics doha qatar host asian game would attend afroasian game keenly observe way game functioned however hosting game major issue committee afroasian game would see participation various nation good term nation prime minister india atal behari vajpayee hinted nation might withdraw game rather get embroiled international conflict logo logo afroasian game charminar hyderabad famous landmark surrounded string pearl hyderabad also famous pearl official logo game unveiled along official website chief minister chandrababu naidu september mascot mascot game sheroo also spelt sheru cartoon lion subsequently variation name sheroo called shera also given mascot commonwealth game sponsorship several indian corporates indian oil corporation ioc gvk group state bank hyderabad provided sponsorship worth inr million towards staging several event inaugural game several corporates oil natural gas corporation ongc videocon bharat petroleum corporation limited bpcl also contributed game also floridabased img academy assisted conduct game first afroasian game first time asia africa came together large event asian african nation participated sporting event list participating country inaugural afroasian game event game held across eight stadium spread throughout suburb gachibowli venue program afroasian game almost asian game difference number sport game witnessed eight discipline eight sport synchronised swimming diving contested list sport given number parenthesis indicates number event athletics boxing football field hockey shooting swimming tennis weightlifting afroasian game calendar given shooting event include bird bird event qualification game depended upon performance country major multisport event since game featured delegation two continent qualification criterion nation different continent different qualification african nation based performance allafrica game held abuja nigeria qualification asian nation based performance asian game held busan south korea official television host broadcaster afroasian game dd sport india first sport channel experience gained broadcasting game would prove extremely helpful parent company doordarshan broadcast olympic game live would later telecast commonwealth game however schedule game clashed ongoing triangular cricket tournament event aired dd metro doordarshan deployed personnel outdoor broadcasting van camera obtaining coverage game additionally five camera used sport news sidelight commentator taken best country spared expenditure regard india premier radio broadcaster india radio air official radio partner game air hired programmer engineer coverage game opening closing ceremony described eyefilling opulent several medium center ceremony cost inr million u million execute child india china african nation practiced reported day ensure success beginning end inaugural game setting utilised ceremony designed wellknown art director film production designer nitin chandrakant desai opening ceremony game held g c balayogi stadium main stadium event pm ist organiser considered benchmark game opening ceremony game showcased cultural heritage attending continent asia africa people came watch beginning gala sporting event ceremony hosted bollywood actor priyanka chopra spread time period two hour forty minute many celebrity like actor sanjay dutt tennis player leander paes graced occasion also sixtime pole vault winner sergey bubka along wife attended ceremony around schoolchildren college student came show depicting vast vibrant culture two continent chief guest deputy prime minister l k advani declared game open shooter anjali bhagwat took athlete oath followed laser show firework space cannon show highlight opening ceremony umojas group professional tribal dancer africa international showcase spiritual chanting chinese monk peace prayer thousand schoolchildren singer shankar mahadevan sang theme song bollywood diva shilpa shetty simran urmila matondkar dance performance unlike olympic game individual march past country country came batch two asian country one batch african country another closing ceremony game marked light colour technology closing ceremony hosted yukta mookhey president p j abdul kalam officially closed game front near capacity crowd closing word congratulate athlete official part game see thousand sportspersons sure combined power youth sport powerful resource earth stadium lit pyrotechnic display firework burst sky daredevil act done service personnel came riding motorcycle flypast indian army airplane trailing smoke colour indian flag took place dignitary took seat expected highpoint closing ceremony show camaraderie sportspersons two continent however athlete trooped stadium purpose camaraderie ceremony followed speech various important people among ioa president suresh kalmadi ioa oca secretarygeneral randhir singh anoca president alfa ibrahim diallo andhra pradesh chief minister chandrababu naidu union minister youth affair sport vikram verma speech shortly followed memento presentation night fell hundred army recruit brought lighted torch mashal dance laser light several technological innovation followed sheroo mascot bid farewell noted indian singer hariharan many costumed child umojas performed yet closing ceremony chinese state circus considered breathtaking lebanese singer diana haddad egyptian singer hisham abbas indian singer remo fernandes performed closing ceremony well host country portrayed number traditional folk dance game officially ended africa clear leader athletics winning medal compared asia even though maximum number nationwise medal garnered asian nation china india four time olympic medallist frankie frederick namibia metre race – last major tournament win distinguished yearlong career indian tennis player sania mirza four gold medal tournament thereby becoming goldmedals winner tennis tournament sun dan yearold chinese army officer kg category lifted weight kg breaking previous world record kg set compatriot tang gonghong addition nigerian athlete mike eamson hoisted weight kg heaviest weight ever lifted india according organiser asia dualcontinental event gold medal africa official medal tally afroasian game given china bagged largest number gold medal followed host india second place athlete india number total medal host nation india success game point favor india able host major international sporting event subsequently success used bidding commonwealth game ultimately awarded delhi addition hospitality sector received major boost due game hotel guest house received large booking order people coming see game – mediapersons delegate official visitor sportspersons etc tourism also benefited game state tourism department showed many foreign journalist key tourism spot city many famous place charminar chowmahalla palace saw record number visitor also famous local market witnessed exceptional growth sale business demand peaked game business worldrenowned pearl hyderabad increased generating revenue ₹ million one week rise buyer mainly driven african visitor prefer pearl jewellery also sale gold jewellery increased substantially driven large number muslim visitor looked traditional intricate design addition bangle became center attraction chinese african athlete national game india medium related afroasian game wikimedia common