Guwahati, Dec. 13: Remember Rongmon - the baby rhino which was the mascot of the 33rd National Games? Well, it looks like he has been "reincarnated in his homeland by Kolhapuri artist Anant Khasbardar" as the sharp and sporty Tikhor - mascot of the 12th South Asian Games.
Tikhor and the logo for the multinational mega event, which will be held in Guwahati and Shillong next year, were unveiled at an event here today. The launch ceremony saw Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi share the dais with Union sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal at a time when the BJP and Congress are engaged in a bitter political campaign ahead of next year's Assembly polls.
The one-horned rhinoceros had to fend off stiff competition from India's national animal, the tiger, which was also in the hunt to be picked as the talisman for the South Asian Games. However, sources said Sonowal, who is the chairman of the organising committee of the event, gave Tikhor, the sharp one, the thumbs, or rather, horns up.
"The one-horned rhino is the pride of Assam. It is a tourist attraction in its only habitat at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Since the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has given us the opportunity to host the mega event, we are using it to the best (of our abilities) to showcase our heritage and woo tourists from the South Asian countries to this part of the country.
"We are also using the orchid of Meghalaya and the gamosa of Assam in the logo to showcase our natural resources and the art and craft of this part of the country," Sonowal said.
History, however, suggests that having a one-horned rhino as a mascot may not always be beneficial to the species - rhino poaching soared in Assam after the 33rd National Games in 2007.
The logo, designed by Abhijeet Krishna of NIFT, Patna, is based on the theme of peace, prosperity and progress. The mascot and logo were selected from over 450 entries each in a nationwide contest held in July. The designs were monitored by painter Noni Borpujari.
Resembling a coronet, the logo comprises eight petals representing the eight participating countries - Pakistan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and India. The petals appear to be rotating clockwise, symbolising the positive spirit of the Games.
After the launch, the logo and the mascot were paraded through the city's thoroughfares on motorbikes. They were received warmly by the people.
A traditional sword dance of Meghalaya and a Bihu performance were showcased during the launch in which even chief minister Gogoi joined in and shook a leg. Meghalaya sports minister Zenith Sangma, Assam ministers Rakibul Hussain and Ajit Singh and a host of other dignitaries were present at the programme.
Sonowal said the organising committee had picked late music maestro Bhupen Hazarika's legendary sports number Ei prithibi ek krirangan as the theme song for the Games. "It will be translated into the eight national languages of the participating nations," Sonowal said.
Pointed out that the same number was adopted by the Assam Olympic Association for the National Games in 2007 but was never played anywhere during the event because the state government had sidelined the association, Sonowal said: "It will not happen again. We are adopting the legend's number as a tribute to him. He is not only Assam's asset, he belongs to the world. It is a song which has the soul of sports in it. No other song befits this event more than it."
He said the ambassadors of all the participant nations have agreed to adopting the song.
