vIndianz.com (29 Oct, 2009) — Queen Elizabeth II offered the baton to President Pratibha Patil, signaling commencement of eagerly anticipated Commonwealth Games, at a Commonwealth Games ceremony at the Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell took the baton and passed it to British queen, who then positioned her message in the handcrafted baton and presented it to President Pratibha Patil.
Patil was together with a group of Indian players including Vijender Singh, 2008 Olympic gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra, Olympic bronze medalist wrestler Sushil Kumar, 1958 Commonwealth Games gold medallist athlete Milkha Singh, tennis player Sania Mirza and footballer Bhaichung Bhutia.
The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be India’s primary chief international sports occasion after the 1982 Asian Games. New Delhi hosted the opening Asian Games in 1951 and another time in 1982.
Delhi had bagged the agreement after defeating the Canadian city Hamilton in the proposal for rights to host the Games.
The Games is scheduled to be staged in India for the first time and in Asia for the second time. Kuala Lumpur hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1998.
“I am grateful to MS Gill, Suresh Kalmadi for inviting me here since at the age of 80 no one cares about old people. I took part in the 80 international races and won 77 which is a world record. Until currently I am the only Indian to have ever won a gold medal at Commonwealth Games and I want youth to do sound in the forthcoming games in Delhi”, said Milkha Singh.
When asked in relation to how she felt to be in the midst of baton bearers Sania Mirza said, “I am honored to be amongst the preferred few and I am looking ahead to stand for India in CWG.”
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