Akhtar pens song for 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games

Pune, Oct 9 (UNI) Noted writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar has come out with an equally catchy theme song to herald the 365 days before the curtain goes up on the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG).

The 2008 CYG will be held at the Shiv Chhatarapati Sports City Mahalunge-Balewadi, near here, from October 11 to 18.

The song on the games mascot 'Jigrr', being kept a closely-guarded secret by the organisers, may create the much-needed euphoria comparable to the title song of 'Chak de India'. The song will be sung by popular crooner Shankar Mahadevan on the grounds of College of Engineering here on October 11, said the 2008 CYG Additional Director General (ADG) Amrut Mathur and Games Director Brigadier (retd) Ghulam Ali Siddiqui while briefing media persons here today.

Mr Mathur said a colourful extravaganza of dance and music, set to the tune of 'Chalo Jigrr ke Saath', will signify a year to go for the first-ever CYG to be held in the country and in Asia as well.

The cultural extraveganza will be formally inaugurated by Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in the presence of Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennel, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi and Pune mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale, he said.

The event will be kick-started by flagging off a huge two-wheeler rally, comprising 5,000 youths, from ten diferent points of the city and will converege at the College of Engineering grounds before the event gets underway, he informed.

The third edition of the games has attracted all the 71 member countries of the CGF, where the participants will vie for honour in nine disciplines of the games, Mr Mathur elaborated.

The 2008 CYG will also serve as the trial for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, slated to be held in New Delhi, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Director of Culture and Ceremonies Poornima Pendse said in order to make the event memorable, sporting icons (present and former) will grace the occasion.

Among them will be ace long-jumper Anju Bobby George, former sprint queen P T Usha, sharp shooters Samaresh Jung, Anjali Bhagwat, Abhinav Bindra, Tejaswini Sawant and former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay, she informed.

The other highlight of the evening's programme will be the flag march by the foreign students studying in various city colleges, Mrs Pendse pointed out.

To a query, Mr Mathur and Brig Siddiqui said all precautions have been undertaken as per the specifications of the CGF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to have a well furnished samples collection centre in the country before being sent to the authorised WADA lab.

To win the passes to the event one can log onto 'wwwcygpune2008.com'.

UNI