Oscar winning music composer A R Rahman on Saturday launched the theme song of the Commonwealth Games "Swagatham" at a glittering ceremony at Gurgaon near New Delhi.
Rahman sung the song in front of a gathering which included Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda and CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi.
"I feel honoured to get the opportunity to compose the theme song for the mega-event. It was not an easy task. I had started composing it six months ago and finished just last night," Rahman said.
A beaming Kalmadi hailed the launch of the theme song as a good beginning to the hosting of a successful Games.
"A well beginning is the half job done. Now onwards you will listen this song day in and day out. It is the first move towards a great Commonwealth Games, which we had promised years back," Kalmadi said.
He said that he was happy with the sale of tickets for the Games, including the opening ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
"In the opening ceremony we will depict the 5000 years of culture of our country. We are getting good response as far as tickets are concerned. In the last two days 800 tickets have been sold in Gurgaon only. Thats good," said Kalmadi.
"We are prepared to organise the best ever Commonwealth Games and that is the message I would like to give," he added.
The hour-long launch function also saw some enthralling dance performance by 'Sadya' group followed by another Gypsy group dance show by the artists from Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts.
The launch of the theme song got delayed after the Group of Ministers overseeing the quadrennial sporting extravaganza asked Rahman to change it a little bit.
Dikshit was all praise for Rahman, saying, "I am extremely happy that Rahman agreed to do the job. We could not have found a better person for it. I am confident that Delhi, with the whole India behind it, will achieve what many people believe is not possible."
"I hope that with this song we will now swing into the Games with broad smile. There are lots of problems, but I do believe that the end will be good," she added.
Hooda reiterated his promise to extend every help to the Organising Committee.
"I have the confidence that we will do it in a big way. The CWG festival starts today with this launch and Haryana is ready to give all kinds of helps to make it successful," Hooda said.
The song motivates people with its words 'Jiyo, Utho, Badho, Karo, Jeeto'.
