Bindra calls on volunteers to showcase Indian values at Commonwealth Games

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra today called on the volunteers for next year's Commonwealth Games to put the best foot forward and said each of their efforts will go a long way in showcasing Indian hospitality and values.

Bindra, the lone Indian to win an individual gold at the Olympics, was here at the launch of 'Delhi United', a programme aimed at recruiting more than 30,000 volunteers for the October 3-14 multi-sports extravaganza.

''Volunteers are the backbone for any successful Games and I can say that because I have been to three of those,'' said Bindra.

Bindra, who won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics last year, also had an anectode to share about the his experience with volunteers during his record-breaking feet.

''There were two volunteers assigned to take care of the Indian Olympic team and both of them were there when I won the Gold medal.

''After I won the Gold medal, they gave me a card written in Hindi and I still have that card framed at my home along side the Gold medal,'' recalled the ace marksman.

A number of volunteers have already signed up for the mega event and the Organising Committee is aiming to have as many as 30,000 of them.

Also present at the occasion were Sports Secretary Sindhushree Khullar and Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi who said the the volunteers will be the real face of the country during the Games.

''Volunteers are not only the face of the Games but the also the heart of the Games,'' Khullar said.

''I am confident that our volunteers would contribute immensely towards ensuring that we host a great Games next year,'' Kalmadi said.

My confidence stems from the fact that around 200 volunteers who helped us during the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly did a great job and passed the test with flying colours,'' he added.

Five categories of volunteers - senior citizens, professionals, homemakers, differently-abled and international - were registered during the programme.

To facilitate easy registration of the volunteer, the Organising Committee also launched a special interactive web portal (www.cwgdelhi2010.org/delhiunited) which will allow interested citizens to log on to the portal and fill in their registration forms online.