Asiad to help Indian sport: Rathore

EXPERIENCED HAND: Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore says the Games will benefit Indian sport.

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As the time for the announcement of the host city for the 2014 Asian Games draws near, the Indian contingent is hopeful that the Games will help sports in the country.

CNN-IBN's Digvijay Singh Deo caught up with the silver medallist from the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Rajyvardhan Singh Rathore, on how a successful bid will be beneficial for Indian sport.

"We have a very good chance of getting the Games. Undoubtedly it is just one day to go and very hectic lobbying is going on. It would be difficult to comment right now. Hopefully it will be celebration time on Tuesday for India," says Rajyvardhan Singh Rathore.

Digvijay Singh Deo: As a sportsperson what does it mean to have Asian Games in your own country?

Rajyvardhan Singh Rathore: Actually a lot. There will be a tremendous improvement in infrastructure and it will also create more jobs. The sportspersons get more money, more resources for training and also there are the incentives. When a Games comes to a country, the corporate get interested and that is one of the gray areas in our country with very few corporate supporting the Olympic sports.

Digvijay Singh Deo: One of the facts that India is banking on is the history of Asian Games. India hosted the first Asian Games in 1951, 1982 was also a huge success. Do you have any memories of the 82 Games?

Rajyvardhan Singh Rathore: Yes, I was very young at that time. I remember the colour televisions coming for the first time. I was awake in the night and watched the opening ceremony and at that point of time the entire country was talking about the Games. Everything had been done at the last moment but everything went well. These Games are always very cherishable.