Bhubaneswar: The Queen’s Baton for 2022 Commonwealth Games made a tour of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The Baton commenced its journey from Kalinga Stadium with Olympians Dutee Chand and Sunita Lakra carrying it. It made a historic tour to Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri Blue Flag Beach and Konark Sun Temple.
It later arrived at Raj Bhawan in Bhubaneswar where it was received by Governor Ganeshi Lal from Shradhanjali Samantray, the ace footballer from the State. The Queen’s Baton then toured the temple city of Bhubaneswar before arriving at the Kalinga Stadium for the last-leg of the relay.
Sportspersons Rakhal Sethy, Roshan Minz, Dileshwar Rao and coaches Rajesh Singh, Kalu Charan Choudhry, Lucela Ekka, Lipika Mohapatra, St. Victor Minz participated in the relay.
The Queen’s Baton Relay culminated with Dutee Chand handing over the baton to Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sports and Youth Services, R.Vineel Krishna at the Kalinga Stadium in the presence of Bijay Nayak, Executive Chairperson, State Youth welfare Board, before handing it over to Indian Olympic Association, amidst an audience of sportspersons and officials of the state ecosystem.
In a video message, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, shared, “It gives me immense pleasure to welcome the Queen’s Baton Relay to Odisha. The Queen’s Baton Relay is one of the best traditions of the Commonwealth Games and it is an honour for Odisha to be a part of its epic journey. Odisha has produced many eminent sportspersons and we are extremely delighted that today some of our finest sports persons participated in the relay and became a part of the history of Commonwealth Games.”
In Odisha, we believe in the power of Sports and Youth. Today, our state has some of the finest sports infrastructure and an ever-evolving sports ecosystem that inspires athletes to follow their goals passionately. This relay will go on to encourage and inspire our young athletes to dream big and shine at the Commonwealth Games. I wish grand success of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he added.
Appreciating the effort of Odisha in promoting sports, British Deputy High Commissioner, Kolkata, Nick Low, through a video message said, “I was delighted when I heard that the 2022 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay was coming to Odisha. Having recently been to Bhubaneswar for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup, visited the magnificent Kalinga Sports Complex and met Odisha FC. Let no one be in any doubt that Odisha has international class facilities, highly talented athletes and administrators and, most important of all, a palpable passion for sport. I know Odisha will give the Queen’s Baton Relay the warmest of welcomes. Birmingham looks forward to giving the athletes and officials from Odisha and from across India an equally warm reception.”
The Queen’s Baton that will depart Odisha for its next destination, Singapore, was given a spectacular and befitting send off at the Kalinga Stadium amidst fireworks that lit up the night sky.
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