New Delhi , India ( CNN ) -- After harsh criticism and controversy , the 2010 Commonwealth Games began Sunday in New Delhi with a lavish opening ceremony . Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium gleamed with multi-colored lights as representatives from Commonwealth countries walked the length of the field by turns , waving their flags and wearing traditional native costumes . It 's the first time India has hosted the international sporting event between countries of the former British Empire . The games , held every four years , include many Olympic events as well as other sports played traditionally in those countries . Are you in India for the games ? Share you photos and videos . Britain 's Prince Charles and Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil officially declared the games open . Prince Charles was representing his mother , Queen Elizabeth . As the spotlight shines on the country , a team official of the nation 's bowling team was suspected of having dengue fever , a mosquito-borne viral disease . Ruptu Gogoi is undergoing tests and the doctor will get the results Sunday evening , said Dr. Om Bharti , who was on duty at GB Pant hospital . Despite the setback , the event began as planned . Excitement filled the air in New Delhi after days of fears that India simply would not be ready in time . Athletes had expressed alarm over the poor condition of their village . Others charged shoddy construction and slammed the government for corruption . The games give India an opportunity to promote a shiny image as an emerging power . The government spent billions on a new international airport , additional metro lines and fresh landscaping along dingy Delhi roads . Still , India remains a country with millions of poor people , who feel brushed aside as the new India tried to put its best face forward . People like Shanti , a 65-year-old beggar , who said she was detained by police for sitting on the side of a street , where she always sits , hoping that passers-by will drop a few coins in her hands . Or Mala Mangla , who sells balloons on the streets . She said police have told her to disappear for at least a month . India , they said , was trying to hide them from foreign visitors . They said beggars have been warned to stay off the streets . So have vendors and children who are commonly seen going from car to car begging . And shanties have been torn down . `` There has been a very strong movement by the government .. to get rid of the filth and to portray the beautified and shining India , '' said Maushmi Basu , a migrant worker activist . Police and government officials contacted by CNN did not return calls . The Indian government maintains that it respects the rights of the poor . But there are also laws against begging and putting up structures without proper permits . The games have been a tough act for a nation that has never hosted such a large international event . Parliament has been forced to deal with accusations of corruption in the planning of the games . Two weeks ago , gunmen fired on a tourist bus in New Delhi and injured two Taiwanese tourists . A car blaze turned out to be a crudely manufactured bomb . And a militant group warned that it planned to target the games . Indian law enforcement authorities responded with a heightened security plan , placing thousands of extra forces on the streets of the capital . If all that were n't enough , two days before athletes were scheduled to begin arriving , complaints rang out across the globe about their shoddy living quarters . `` You know , construction dust is still there , filth , excrement , it really is disgusting in parts and it really requires a professional deep clean throughout the entire complex , '' said Michael Hooper , chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation . As if to amplify Hooper 's complaint , a pedestrian bridge leading to Nehru stadium collapsed that same day . India 's image was slipping faster than a rocket . Two world-class athletes canceled their trips , citing security and health concerns . Entire teams threatened to do the same , while others delayed their arrival date . Indian officials went to work on a massive clean-up effort . In the end , athletes from 71 countries showed up and have settled in . India still wants to make a lasting impression on its visitors . Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit said she hoped the Commonwealth Games would leave a legacy that will ultimately make life more comfortable for the residents of India 's sprawling capital -- rich and poor . Organizers certainly hope that with opening ceremonies Sunday , the glow will wipe out the gloom . CNN 's Moni Basu contributed to this report .
Commonwealth Games kick-off with lavish ceremony . Whole national teams had threatened to pull out of the huge sports event . New Delhi 's poor say police have ordered them out of sight . The games are a chance for India to shine on the global stage .