Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 opened in Pune The rich cultural heritage of India and the great Maratha spirit came alive today, as the spectacular sporting bonanza of the Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 began in Pune. President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil declared the games open in the presence of eminent dignitaries, famed athletes and gallaries full of sports lovers. Over 1,300 athletes and 350 officials from 71 countries are participating in 9 disciplines -Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling. The opening ceremony at the impressive Athletics Stadium at Balewadi Sports Complex on the outskirts of Pune began with welcome note by the Army band and an elegant equastrian parade by Mewar Horses. National Anthem was played by renowned Santoor player Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and his son Rahul Sharma while noted dancer-actor Hema Malini performed the Ganesh Vandana. The famed helicopter display team of the Indian Air Force ‘Sarang’ showcased various manoevres, which received wide applause. Thereafter the Akashganga paratroopers touched down in various formations. The games Baton Relay was carried by P T Usha, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Gopichand, Anjali Bhagwat, Dhanraj Pillai, Jitendra Kumar, Nandu Natekar, Ajit Pal Singh, Zafar Iqbal, Akhil Kumar, Sushil Kumar and Vijender among others. Ace shooter and Olympic Gold medalist Abhinav Bindra picked up the Kalash with water from ‘Tribune of Honour’ and poured the water into the Grand Kalash. Then the ‘Fountain of Youth’ came alive.’ The Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune are being seen as a curtain raiser for the Commonwealth Games to be hosted by Indian in New Delhi in 2010. The youth games will also serve to identify India’s medal winning potential athletes for the main Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Olympic Games. The most unique feature of these games is their venue. Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi on the outskirts of Pune , is unique as it is for the first time that the competition venues of all disciplines and the athletes' village will be housed in a single sports complex. The sprawling complex is located on 153 acres of land. The mascot of the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games is "Jigrr". The mascot is a tiger, the national animal of India. Jigrr is the younger brother of 'Shera', the mascot of 2010 Commonwealth Games. Jigrr the name, is an amalgam of the word "Jigar", which implies courage in Hindi and also the sound of a tiger roar 'grrr...' Tight security arrangements were made for conducting the games. .