Wanted: More Sheras

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) is looking for a few good men.

The OC needs young, energetic people to don the costume of the Games' mascot 'Shera'. At present, it only has one full-time employee performing the role during all promotional campaigns and events. With the Games just three months away, it needs at least 10 more.

"As the main event approaches, the number preliminary events and promotional campaigns will also increase. That is why we need more such people," said a senior OC official on the condition of anonymity.

Currently, the mascot is being used extensively during volunteer-training programmes.

"The idea behind a mascot during promotions is to make people aware about the Games and encourage them to become a part of it," he said. "The mascot wears different T shirts during promotions to publicise different events."

The search has not been easy though. "We have tried many people but being Shera is a tough job," he said.

"The person has to be very energetic and has to act in a particular way which not many can carry off daily in such harsh weather," the official added.

"The person inside the costume has to wave at crowds for hours at times, shake hands with hundreds of people and get pictures clicked with them. It is a very demanding job and not everyone can do it."

Shera, the mascot of the Commonwealth Games 2010, is modelled on a Royal Bengal tiger and its costume is blue shorts and a white jersey. The mascot was first introduced at the closing ceremony of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006.

The mascot is also a reminder of the fragile environment the Bengal tigers live in. The Bengal tigers are an endangered specie because of their habitat loss, poaching and environmental degradation.