CWG closing ceremony to feature Vande Mataram, Indo-Scottish jugalbandi

2 min readJul 29, 2026 07:02 PM From a theatrical tribute to 150 years of Vande Mataram to a classical jugalbandi between Indian and Scottish musicians and a concert-style celebration of Gujarat led Shankar Mahadevan, the Commonwealth Games (CWG) closing ceremony will offer a preview of Amdavad 2030 as India takes over as the next host.
The handover segment, to be staged at Glasgow’s iconic Hydro arena, will unfold in three acts and feature some of India’s biggest music and dance stars, including actor and Miss World Manushi Chhillar, sitar virtuoso Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, singers Shankar Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan, Shivam Mahadevan and Bhoomi Trivedi, the Commonwealth Sport said in a media release.
The opening act marks 150 years of Vande Mataram, India’s national song, with Chhillar leading a theatrical performance featuring an ensemble of dancers celebrating the country’s cultural diversity.
The second act will bring together Indian and Scottish musical traditions through a jugalbandi between Sharma and Scotland’s acclaimed piper Ross Ainslie. The collaboration, featuring the sitar alongside traditional Scottish pipes and whles, is intended to symbolically connect Glasgow 2026 with Amdavad 2030.

The finale will take audiences on a musical journey across India before culminating in a tribute to Gujarat, which will host the centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030. Shankar Mahadevan will perform alongside his sons Siddharth and Shivam, with Bhoomi Trivedi joining the performance, accompanied large-scale choreography and visual production.
Organisers said Chhillar, Shivam Mahadevan and Bhoomi Trivedi will all be performing in Scotland for the first time.
The closing ceremony will also feature Scottish rock band Simple Minds as the headline act, alongside performances from Cammy Barnes, BEMZ, Sandi Thom, Shereen Cutkelvin, Elephant Sessions, radio personality George Bowie and dance group Diversity.
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Glasgow 2026 Chief Marketing and Ceremonies Officer Louisa Mahon described the handover as “more than a ceremonial formality”, saying it would celebrate the cultural ties between Scotland and India while giving audiences “a first look at the scale and soul of what’s coming to Amdavad 2030.”