Four years after India hosted the quadrennial Commonwealth Games, a 200-plus Indian contingent led the athletes’ parade at the opening ceremony for this year’s games at Celtic Park in Glasgow.  More than 40,000 people attended and an estimated 1 billion viewers from across the world tuned in on their television sets to watch the opening ceremony, according to a statement by the organizers.  Pistol shooter Vijay Kumar, who won three gold medals and one silver at the 2010 Games in India, carried the tricolor at the parade on Wednesday. In 2010, the Indian delegation was also led by a shooter, 31-year-old Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first gold medal at the games that year.  Pictured below, Mr. Kumar, followed by the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony.  Wrestler Sushil Kumar, shooter Heena Sidhu and boxer Shiva Thapa are some of the names that stand out in India’s delegation- one of the largest at the event this year. The last time athletes from the 71 Commonwealth countries gathered to compete at the games, India finished second after Australia in the overall medal tally. It won a total of 38 gold medals.  Pictured below is another photograph of Mr. Kumar leading the Indian contingent.  The opening ceremony in New Delhi had an $8 million balloon that rose from the stadium floor. Glasgow had 41 Scottish Terriers. The organizers tweeted from the official Twitter account of the event saying that “each team was led by a Scottish Terrier bearing the team’s name!” (41 dogs and 71 competing countries doesn’t quite add up.) But the Scotties were a highlight of the evening.  Scotty dogs lead in each team. Whoever though of that deserves a treat.  — Paul Kelso (@pkelso) July 23, 2014  Pictured below is the dog that led the Indian contingent.  Here’s a closer look at the four-legged furry Terrier, the first to do the rounds at the massive Celtic Park.
Take a look at some snapshots of India’s contingent in the athletes’ parade during the opening ceremony of the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Wednesday.