Commonwealth Games 2022 declared open at stunning opening ceremony in Birmingham

Commonwealth Games were declared open on Thursday after a 2-and-a-half-hour-long opening ceremony ended at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.

The ceremony for the opening of the 22nd edition of the quadrennial event showcased the city's rich cultural heritage and was kickstarted with drummer-percussionist Abraham Paddy Tetteh taking the stage followed by Indian classical vocalist and composer Ranjana Ghatak taking the lead.

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Prince Charles declared the Games open on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II after narrating the message on the baton that reached the venue despite the Covid-19 challenges.

India's ace shuttler and 2-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu alongside the men's team captain Manpreet Singh led the Indian contingent. Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, Manika Batra were also present in the squad.

India will be represented by 215 athletes who will participate in 141 events across 19 sporting disciplines.

The spectacular show ended with a performance from Duran Duran, a band who started their journey in the city of Birmingham 44years ago.

The ceremony marked the beginning of the first multi-sporting event that will be held without major restrictions since the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Prepare yourself for a whole lot of action for the span of the next 11-days as over 5000 athletes from 72 nations compete across 280 events across 19 sports and 15 venues.

Stay tuned to Editorji for the latest updates.