Praise from all and sundry marks the grand closing ceremony of CYG

Stars vied with fireworks to add glitter to the closing of the Commonwealth Youth Games, making it a night to remember for Puneites. Breathtaking daredevilry by stunt bikers, electrifying helicopter rides and synchronised movements by hundreds of schoolchildren made the event a spectacular one.

The Bollywood stars were there to add to the glamour quotient. Shilpa Shetty sizzled, Reitesh Deshmukh rocked, Diya Mirza dazzled and Malaika Arora Khan wooed the audience.

It ended with the customary goodbye to Jigrr and welcoming of elder brother Shera, the mascot of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, as Shiamak Davar gave a foot-tapping performance.

With the state clinching one-third of the medal tally, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the presiding chief guest, announced a special felicitation programme for winners in Mumbai shortly for distributing the promised cheques of Rs 10 lakh, Rs 7 lakh and Rs 5 lakh to gold, silver and bronze winners respectively.

“It is a proud moment for us and for Pune,” he said in his speech giving credit to the CYG Organising Committee chairman and Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi.

He lauded the good infrastructure in the city and said Kalmadi had done well. He also mentioned the support of the Prime Minister and party chief Sonia Gandhi and thanked Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who was the chief guest, for his support.

With Kalmadi repeatedly stating that Pune has the infrastructure to host even the Olympics, Deshmukh said the Maharashtra government will do all it can to bring Olympics to the state.

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