Commonwealth Games 2010 Queen’s Baton Relay

The Baton’s journey symbolises the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth of Nations, and enables communities beyond the host city to share the Games’ celebrations. It also serves a functional purpose in carrying Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘message to the athletes’ from Buckingham Palace in London to the opening ceremony of the Games.

Sikkim

The Queen’s Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games entered Sikkim on the 16th of July to commence its Sikkim leg of the journey.

The Queen’s Baton Relay received a warm welcome at Nathu la Pass near the India-China border in Sikkim. Indian Army personnel took charge of the Commonwealth Games Baton at 14,200 feet altitude on the India-China border in Sikkim.

Assam

The Queen’s Baton arrived in Guwahati on the 20th of July 2010 and was ceremoniously received by the Assam Olympic Association General Secretary and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain at a brief function held at the Nehru Stadium.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi received the Baton at the State Secretariat and after a brief felicitation of players from the state the Baton was handed over to Arjuna awardee table tennis player Monalisa Barua Mehta.

A colourful cultural function and fireworks display was held at Kalakshetra before the Queen’s Baton 2010 Delhi was handed over by Assam Sports Minister Bharat Narah to the Chef de Mission of the Indian Commonwealth team and Rajya Sabha MP Bhubaneswar Kalita and Baton Relay Director Colonel Kuldip Singh for its onward journey to the Meghalaya capital Shillong.

Meghalaya

The Meghalaya leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay of the IIX Common Wealth Games started with the arrival of the Queen’s Baton at Byrnihat from Assam.

To commemorate this historic event, the Indian Postal Service has issued a set of two commemorative postage stamps to mark the Baton’s entry into India as a herald of the Commonwealth Games 2010.

The Queen’s Baton was relayed by 45 outstanding athletes of the state through a predetermined route until it finally arrived at the U Soso Tham Auditorium where it was handed over to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr. Mukul Sangma by the renowned marathon runner Beningstar Lyngkhoi.

Arunachal Pradesh

The Queen’s Baton was flown to Tawang on July 22, 2010 from Shillong from where it was flown to the state capital the same day. The Relay also covered Thupten Gyatsaling Gompa and the historic archeological site of Itafort South gate.

Nagaland

On July 24th the Queen’s Baton for the XIX Commonwealth Games arrived in Dimapur.

In commemoration of the Queen’s Baton Relay, the State Forest Department Nagaland organised a tree plantation programme ‘Nihor seedling plants’ at Old Kachari ruin Rajbari on July.

The Relay team visited the1879-80 Battle of Khonomo Memorial where Tsilie Sakhrie gave a brief narration of the battle.

Manipur

The Queen’s Baton Relay of the Commonwealth Games, 2010 reached Imphal on July the 27th. The state’s first Olympian (hockey) P Neelkamal was the Baton bearer of the Manipur leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay till he passed the Baton over to 16 more international athletes of the state before it was finally taken up by the four time world champion boxer M C Mary Kom.

The rallyists were flagged off by Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh from the historic Kangla Fort.

The Baton was then handed over to the 11 members of the Relay team headed by Lt Col KS Bansal who came from Dimapur and who ushered it to its next destination Aizawl.

Mizoram

Mizoram has immortalised the visit of the Queen’s Baton by constructing a green park named after it.

The Queen’s Baton Relay Park at Mualpui was inaugurated by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, one day ahead of the Queen’s Baton Relay.

Tripura

The Tripura leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay started in the evening after a cultural function at the Umakanta stadium during which the Baton was handed over to the State Government formally by the Tripura Olympic Association.

Hundreds of sports lovers and renowned athletes of the state participated in the rally that went through the streets of Agartala covering around 4 km.

After the Tripura leg, the XIX Commonwealth Games’ Queen’s Baton Relay concluded its tour of the states of the North East region of India. Hereon, it will travel to Kolkata before it reaches the opening ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games at Delhi, its final destination.

Queen’s Baton lost and found

The Queen’s Baton 2010 Delhi for the Commonwealth Games went missing for nearly two hours at Kupup in Sikkim, near the India-China border, leaving senior officials red-faced. The Baton was finally recovered by the Sikkim Police.

Shortly after the Baton reached Kupup Golf Course, QBR Director Colonel Kuldeep Singh went to Sunshine Point near ‘Baba Mandir’ with the Baton along with six QBR members apparently keeping others in the dark. Finally Singh, who was spotted with the Baton at Sunshine Point was asked to return. An unfazed Singh maintained that he had gone to display the Baton to local villagers since it belongs to the people and so they had the right to ‘feel the object’, but instead they were being kept at arm’s length during the official function.

Anoop Rai