Prior to 1978, Suresh Kalmadi was a celebrated Indian Air force officer decorated with 8 medals for his gallantry in Indo-Pak war in 1971. Then he took a major U-turn in his life and decided to enter politics by becoming the Maharashtra Youth Congress President. Apparently, the seeds of a long and enviable career in politics had been sown. Soon he became the blue-eyed boy in political circles occupying plum positions across various ministries and departments. He had right connections with right people and soon became a part of the exclusive coterie of who’s who. Kalmadi soon became a political heavyweight in the bureaucratic and political circles. He proved that he was an ace when it came to appointments and grabbing plum positions across his career of 45 years of success and eminence.
But as all good things come to an end, Suresh Kalmadi may be staring at his nemesis in 2010 Common Wealth Games. After proving his detractors wrong for 45 years, he may have landed on a landmine after flying high for years. Bureaucracy Today spoke to him about the Common Wealth Games (CWG) preparations, corruption charges and all. Some excerpts:
Mr. Kalmadi let’s talk about the CWG. Are we really ready for them?
Certainly, we are going to have best Common Wealth Games ever. We have world class infrastructure and the stadiums are one of the best in the world. The CWG Village is better than Beijing Games Village. You will see yourself when the games begin.
But Mr. Kalmadi the infrastructure is still not in place for the games to happen?
Let me tell you, infrastructure is not my responsibility. The Delhi Government and the Sports Ministry are doing up the infrastructure for the games and I am only coordinating between the two. See, I am the Chairman of the Organizing Committee and I have to coordinate with various departments but I cannot take up their work.
