Queen’s baton receives rousing welcome in DK

DHNS

• It arrived at Gundya at noon; Team will leave for Karwar today

Mangalore, 05 September 2010: The Queen’s Baton Relay Team for XIX Commonwealth Games arrived in Dakshina Kannada on Sunday. The baton, which is the symbol of integrity was brought into the district from Gundya amidst a ‘poornakumbha swagatha’ from Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala Gramodyog volunteers. 

 

 

 
Wing Commander V N Singh handed over the baton to Additional Deputy Commissioner Prabhakar Sharma. Baton was later passed on to District-in-Charge Minister Krishna J Palemar. It was passed to Superintendent of Police Dr A S Rao, Dr Deepthi, former mayor Shankar M Bhat and Puttur Assistant Commissioner Dr Harish Kumar. The baton was later handed over to V N Singh by Zilla Panchayat President Santhosh Kumar Bhandary. A cultural programme was held at Nelyadi St Jerosa PU College.

The baton arrived in Mangalore at about 5.15 pm. In a formal stage programme, Mayor Rajani Dugganna, renowned cardiac specialist Dr B M Hegde, Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, Municipal Commissioner Dr K N Vijay Prakash, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs Yogish Bhat, U T Khader handed over the baton to Arjuna awardees Vandana Rao, Vandana Shanbagh, Shobha Narayan and Manjari Bhargavi. Former international athletes Sanjeeva Puttur and Pushparaj Hegde were present.

The baton was taken through Circuit House, Batra Gudde, Bejai Junction, Reliance Footwear, KSRTC bus stand, Mangalore City Corporation, Hero Honda Circle, Besant, PVS Junction, St Aloysius Primary School, Karangalpady, Bunts Hostel, Jyothi Circle, Don Bosco Hall, Hampankatta Junction and University College before entering Town Hall.

A grand civic reception was held in Town Hall wherein cultural programmes depicting the rich culture and tradition of the district was showcase. The relay team would leave the district for Karwar on September 6 at 9 am.The relay commenced from Buckingham Palace, London, on October 29, 2009.

The Baton will visit all 28 States and seven Union Territories of India including 200 cities and thousands of villages. More than 5,000 sports persons, stars, politicians and common men will carry the Baton by using all modes of transport over land, sea and air.
After the relay throughout the country, the 100-day journey will finish when the Baton-bearers enter the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi during the opening Ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games. On October 3, 2010, Queen Elizabeth-II’s message will be removed from the Baton and read at the Games’ Opening Ceremony.

The multi-layered Baton has a precious jewellry box holding the Queen’s message on gold leaf. Inside the casing is coated with soil which is collected from all regions of India.
It has an inbuilt camera, a sound recorder and LED display. The design is shaped by using a triangular section of aluminum twisted into helix. It has a polycarbonate cap to protect the Queen’s message from the elements.

The Baton is light weight and designed to be easy and comfortable to hold.