A Vande Mataram tribute, a sitar-bagpipe jugalbandi and a Gujarat showcase carried the Commonwealth Games flag from Glasgow to Amdavad 2030
The 2026 Commonwealth Games came to a close at Glasgow's OVO Hydro, where Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, formally addressed the audience before declaring the Games closed, according to Outlook India's live coverage of the closing ceremony.
Woven into the closing ceremony was a dedicated handover segment introducing Ahmedabad as host of the 2030 Centenary Games. Glasgow 2026's organisers built the segment around three distinct acts blending Indian and Scottish culture, according to an official article published on the Glasgow 2026 website.
The handover segment opened with a tribute marking 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' as a symbol of unity, led by actress and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar with a large dance ensemble presenting India's cultural heritage, per the Glasgow 2026 website.
The second act paired sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma with Scottish piper Ross Ainslie in a fusion performance styled as a jugalbandi, a classical Indian musical dialogue, connecting the cultures of Glasgow 2026 and Amdavad 2030. The closing act was built as a tribute to Gujarat, featuring singer Shankar Mahadevan performing alongside his sons Siddharth and Shivam, with performer Bhoomi Trivedi highlighting the state's culture through choreography and visual staging.
Manushi Chhillar led a dance ensemble marking 150 years of the national song as a symbol of unity.
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma and Scottish piper Ross Ainslie performed a fusion duet linking Glasgow and Amdavad.
Shankar Mahadevan, sons Siddharth and Shivam, and performer Bhoomi Trivedi staged a showcase of Gujarat's culture.
Dr PT Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association, and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi took charge on Ahmedabad's behalf during the handover ceremony, according to a report in Millennium Post.
Glasgow 2026's chief marketing officer described the segment as 'more than ceremonial,' saying it was designed to capture 'two nations together on one stage' and to showcase India's warmth and traditions ahead of Amdavad 2030's centenary Games, per the Glasgow 2026 website.
With the flag now in Ahmedabad's hands, attention turns to the organisational work ahead. Millennium Post reported that an Organising Committee for the 2030 Games still needs to be formed, even as preparations are already under way in Gujarat.
The report noted that Ahmedabad's experience hosting major cricket and entertainment events at scale positions the city to build on that base as it moves toward staging what officials have called a bigger Games with more disciplines than the Glasgow edition.
Millennium Post reported that Ahmedabad's Organising Committee for 2030 is yet to be constituted, even as groundwork is under way.
The report pointed to Ahmedabad's experience hosting large cricket and entertainment events as a foundation for Games-scale operations.
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, formally declared the Commonwealth Games closed at Glasgow's OVO Hydro, after a dedicated segment handed over hosting duties to Ahmedabad for 2030, according to Outlook India.
Manushi Chhillar, sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma with Scottish piper Ross Ainslie, and Shankar Mahadevan with his sons Siddharth and Shivam and performer Bhoomi Trivedi, according to the Glasgow 2026 website.
A Vande Mataram tribute, a sitar-and-bagpipe jugalbandi fusion performance, and a closing tribute to Gujarat's culture, per the Glasgow 2026 website.
Indian Olympic Association president Dr PT Usha and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi took charge during the handover, according to Millennium Post.
No. Millennium Post reported that the Organising Committee for the 2030 Games still needs to be formed, even as preparatory work is already under way in Gujarat.