Queen’s baton reaches Himachal
By IANSSunday, July 4, 2010
SHIMLA - The Queen’s baton for the 2010 Commonwealth Games reached Himachal Pradesh amid the beating of drums Sunday, an official said.
“The Queen’s baton entered Mehatpur town in Una district. There was beating of drums. Thousands of children also gathered and welcomed the baton,” Vinod Kumar, joint secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association (HPOA), told IANS.
He said the baton arrived in the state from Chandigarh and was received by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Satpal Singh Satti and HPOA vice-president Vijay Rana.
“It’s a joyous moment for all of us who became part of this historical moment,” said Deepak Thakur, a member of the Indian hockey team, on receiving the baton. He belongs to Una town.
The state’s renowned national and international players - Charanjeet Singh (hockey), Mohinder Lal (shooting), Harsh Tripathi (handball) and Surjeet Singh (volleyball) were among those who received the baton.
The organisers said the baton would pass through Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts. From Sirmaur, it would enter Uttarakhand Tuesday. The baton is scheduled to reach Shimla Monday evening.
It would cover a distance of 560 km in the state before entering Uttarakhand.
Meanwhile, police have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth passage of the baton.
“Elaborate security cover has been put in place in the seven districts from where the baton would travel by road,” Inspector General (Law and Order) S.R. Mardi said.
The baton travelled nearly 170,000 km through nearly 70 Commonwealth countries before arriving in host India for the Games scheduled Oct 3-14 in New Delhi.
Pakistan’s Olympic Association chief Syed Arif Hassan handed over the baton to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi, who is also the chairman of the organising committee of Commonwealth Games 2010, at Attari border in Punjab June 25.
By the end of its journey, the baton would have travelled over 190,000 km, through different modes of transport across land, air and sea, in 340 days. This will make the baton relay 2010 one of the longest in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
The 2010 Commonwealth Games is the biggest sporting extravaganza being hosted by India since the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi.
