Commonwealth Games brand ambassadors

Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi today named a group of six ace sportspersons as Brand Ambassadors for the Games to be held here from October 3 to 14.

Olympic and world 10m air rifle champion Abhinav Bindra, world no. 2 badminton player Saina Nehwal, the athlete of the 2006 Commonwealth Games Samaresh Jung, Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Kumar, Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar and four-time world boxing champion MC Mary Kom are the Brand Ambassadors for Delhi 2010.

“These champions have done India proud with their achievements and will serve as remarkable Brand Ambassadors for the Games,” said Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi Chairman Mr, Suresh Kalmadi, MP. “Their passion, personality, and presence as well as their amazing pursuit of excellence truly reflect the vision of the Organising Committee.

“Their focus, mental strength and resilience make them role models, inspiring generations of Indians not just with their achievements but also with their work ethic, discipline and determination,” Mr. Kalmadi said. “It ties up with the ideals of the Organising Committee and I am sure these champions will inspire Indians to back the Commonwealth Games and take to Olympic sport.

“We are poised at the cusp of staging the biggest sporting celebrations ever in India and I am confident that this squad of six Brand Ambassadors will find universal appeal across the nation. I believe that they will lend their charisma to ensure that the Games are a huge draw with the people,” Mr. Kalmadi said.

About the Brand Ambassadors:

The 27-year-old Abhinav Bindra won top honours in the 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Shooting Championship in Zagreb in 2006 and the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. He has also won two gold, a silver and a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Melbourne.

Barely 20, Saina Nehwal has endeared herself to the hearts of millions of Indian sports fans with her consistent performances in the past two years. Beginning with a quarterfinal appearance at the Olympic Games, she has won three Super Series crowns in the past 12 months

The air pistol expert Samaresh Jung, 40, has won seven gold medals, three silver and a bronze in the last two editions of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and Melbourne. His haul of five gold, a silver and a bronze in 2006 saw him being named for the David Dixon Award for the best athlete of the Games.

Besides his Olympic Games middleweight boxing bronze medal in Beijing, the 24-year-old Vijender Singh has won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne as well as bronze medals in the Asian Games at Doha in 2006 and the World Amateur Boxing Championship at Milan in 2009.

Sushil Kumar, 27, won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 2008 and is a two-time bronze medal winner at the Asian Wrestling Championships in 2003 and 2008. He also has three gold medals at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Besides winning the World Championship crowns in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008, Mary Kom, 27, has claimed the Asian Championship prize as many as three times. Having coming back to boxing as mother of twins, she is an inspiration across the country and widely respected as one of the finest women champions in India.

CWG brand ambassador to be announced next week

Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee Secretary General Lalit Bhanot said that the brand ambassador for the October 3-14 event will be announced by the end of next week.

"We have a list of names prepared and we will be announcing it by next week." Bhanot said.

Archery Association of India President V K Malhotra had proposed the name of Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was also the face of Asian Games in 1982, as the brand ambassador but the Organising Committee rejected the proposal.

In fact, Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of CWG 2010 Organising Committee, made it clear that face of the Delhi Games would not be an actor but a sportsperson.

"Brand Ambassador for the Games will be a young sports personality," Kalmadi had said in a press conference last month.

Names of sportspersons like Vijender Singh and Mary Kom have been doing the rounds as possible contenders.

Vijender won bronze medal for India in 2008 Beijing Olympics, while Mary Kom have been a four-time World Champion.

Amitabh Bachchan won't be CWG's brand ambassador

Indian Olympic Association and Commonwealth Games chief Suresh Kalmadi on Tuesday said that the upcoming Delhi Games will not have actor Amitabh Bachchan as its face and the CWG committee was looking for a young brand ambassador.

“We need to keep young people, and can’t follow the module of the Asiad Games (1982). Amitabh Bachchan was in 30s during 1982 Asian Games and thus was apt representation for the Games. However, things do change with time. We had thought of names like Milkha Singh and PT Usha but are currently looking at younger people to represent CWG 2010.”

He also said that it was not his decision alone to appoint the brand ambassador and since it is India's event, consensus would be taken before a final call.

Hinting at politically driven motives for the move, BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra said it unfortunate and questioned Kalmadi’s authority for taking such a decision. He further accused the core working committee of the Commonwealth Games to be Congress dominated and hoped to get public support behind him on the issue.

However, this came after BJP suggested Amitabh Bachchan's name as brand ambassador of Commonwealth Games yesterday. Congress, on the other hand, said the party has a habit of "fishing in troubled waters".

The Commonwealth Games 2010 are to be held in New Delhi in Oct 2010.

Amitabh Bachchan as CWG Brand Ambassador..!!

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Vice-President Vijay Kumar Malhotra has proposed the name of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as brand ambassador of the Commonwealth Games.

In a letter to Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CWGOC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi, Malhotra said Bachchan represents the best of India's mid-age generation and is an icon for the youth so he would be the best choice as the brand amassador for the October 3-14 Games.

''The appointment of Brand Ambassadors for Commonwealth Games 2010 is going to be very crucial because they will be looked upon as the best and brightest of the country,'' Malhotra, who is also a senior member for the Organising Committee, wrote in his letter.

''I suggest Mr Amitabh Bachchan should be appointed as the main brand ambassador of Commonwealth Games. He was the brand ambassador of 1982 Delhi Asiad in which he lent his voice and anchored the opening ceremony,'' he added.

He also suggested that only those people who have a clean image should be considered for the job.