Rousing welcome for Queen's Baton in New Delhi

After traversing 1,90,000 km across the world — 20,000 km of it through the Indian territory — the Queen's Baton Relay for the XIX Common wealth Games reached the host city here on Thursday afternoon.

Olympian and Dronacharya awardee Satpal Singh ran in with the gold-plated baton into the Organising Committee headquarters at Jantar Mantar and handed it over to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna, who in turn passed it on to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi received the baton from Ms. Dikshit.Light-emitting diodes embedded on the baton lighted up in the pattern of the Indian tricolour.

Ms. Dikshit began her speech with a friendly dig at the OC chairman. “Our good friend Suresh Kalmadi needs a big bump and a big pat on his back,” she quipped, adding that all the agencies were trying their best to organise a good Games. “But only public participation can make them better.”