Indian Olympic gatecrasher apologises for ‘error’
An unidentified woman with India Olympics delegation — Reuters Photo
NEW DELHI: An Indian woman who gatecrashed the procession of India’s athletes at the opening of the London Olympic Games has apologised for an “error of judgement” that prompted a wave of criticism on social media sites.
Madhura Nagendra was the subject of an official protest from India’s Olympic delegation after she appeared, smiling and wearing a red top, walking next to India’s flag-bearer Sushil Kumar at the opening ceremony.
Speaking to the NDTV news channel, the 27-year-old, who was one of 7,500 volunteers taking part in the opening ceremony, said she had become over-excited and spontaneously joined in the parade.
“As an error of judgement, I landed up walking with the athletes,” she said in the interview broadcast on Friday after she returned to her home in the southern city of Bangalore.
“I understand that I’ve hurt people’s feelings. From my heart, I regret it,” she said.
The acting chef-de-mission of India’s Olympic delegation, Muralidharan Raja, said after the ceremony that the mystery gatecrasher had “embarrassed us in front of the world” and “hogged all the limelight”.
The incident provoked a storm of criticism from Indian Twitter users and spawned several Facebook pages, including one comprising photoshopped pictures of her “dropping in” on at iconic events such as US President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
“I actually didn’t know till I came back,” she said of the scale of the public reaction.
“I’m a proud woman of India and I was taken aback seeing all the comments. I hope this will be forgiven,” she added.
She made a minor mistake. So its unfair to be hard on her. She apollogized and now the matter should be closed. After all she is a humanbeing who made mistake. Main focus of India should be on doing well in olympics. So far India did pretty decent job by wining 3 medals( 2 silvers and 1 bronze).
Although I am from Pakistan but this act was really pathetic from her part. These athletes have worked really hard al their lives to get a chance to walk that field behind their country's flag. It was their moment and she ruined it for everyone. Although she has apologized this is something that you can't take back. She should apologize to each and every person who was walking behind her. I think the Indian media, committee and everyone is right to protest. Its just pathetic…
Take it easy guys! How many of the people wouldn't like to run into the ground during cricket matches, how many doesn't like to rush to the front of cameras whenever some news channel is covering an event?
As someone mentioned earlier, people need to concentrate on winning medals rather than being jealous of her
undisciplined,For Yourself and your country
To be honest, she is better looking than any other Indian Atheletes. Just saying..
it is Olympic not a fashion parade…
hehehehehehe true
she's pakistani agent and tried to ruin our presentation
YOU ruined the whole colorful parade in blue jeans and disgrace the national dress for Marxist Red
aik bhi medal jeeta nahi hai, jhagre pahle shuru kar dye
hahahaha ,,, very true
What a hullaballoo ! Take it all in good humour and move along. We Indians and Pakistanis have it in our blood to enjoy brickbatting others on minor issues. What a joy she must have given to millions too to watch her on video/print media.
She was the only colorful thing to watch in Indian contingent. Well done.
Given the opportunity,every Indian living in or visiting London would love to show his or her love for the motherland the way this odd girl out there has shown.There is no doubt that the security at the olympics has failed to prevent this incident from happening much to the embarrassment of the organisers and, to some extent, the contingent of the athletes.The Indian Goverment needs an apology from the British Govenrment.In the end this incidence should be written off as not having been happened at all.
I agree… as an Indian I would say lets forget and move on… the bigger shamble is that a country full of tight rope walkers and canoe racers (Kerala) and cyclists in their hundreds have not been able to qualify in any of the gymnastic, rowing or cycling events in the Olympics!!!
After a great opening ceremony celebrating, to a large extent, humour, why have some people lost their sense of humour about this?
I agree with Nisar. The Indians upset over a minor issue, instead of looking after the major issues of trying to compete strongly in the sporting events to follow.
These type of "over excited" girls should not be at places where security of atheletes and prestige of a country is at stake. She has really broken all the limits of indescency..
Get a grip! Nothing indecent about her .. especially as she has apologized!
Nisar, you know nothing…so stop disgracing urself
as if you know a lot!
what indecency? what disgrace?? the only indecency is we indians celebrating crazy over a bronze (where the shooter had the competency of getting gold)… and the only disgrace i know is characterized by a new channel that says 'medals baras rahe hain'…
limits of indecency or limits of decency?