India to lead parade in Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

GLASGOW: India, by the virtue of being the previous hosts, will lead the parade, featuring more than 4,500 athletes from 71 nations and territories, during the opening ceremony of the 20th Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park here tonight.

The team will parade on the basis of region as spectators will be shown videos of the work that UNICEF is doing in that part of the Commonwealth.

At the end of the parade, which will feature current host, Team Scotland, athletes and team officials will be seated on the field of play, in the centre of the live show, directed by David Zolkwer, BBC reported.

Queen Elizabeth will formally open the Games in front of a 40,000 crowd at Celtic Park.

The competitions will begin tomorrow, and organisers said a global TV audience of close to a billion is likely to tune in to watch the event.

A total of 17 sports will take place in 11 days of competition beginning tomorrow and it will culminate in a closing ceremony which will be held at Hampden Stadium on August 3.