Rousing welcome for Queen’s Baton Relay in Mysore
Mysore, Sep 2 (DHNS): The Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay arrived to a rousing reception here on Wednesday.
At the Mysore Palace North Gate, two caparsioned elephants of the palace showered flower petals as the relay arrived even as a group of artistes performed to the drum beats, adding to the enthusiasm of the crowd.
Minister for Urban Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs S Suresh Kumar received the baton from the holders, climbed the dais along with a host of dignitaries. He was accompanied by Minister for Sports and Youth Services Goolihatti D Shekhar, Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta, Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal, Mayor Sandesh Swamy, Deputy Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath, ZP President S N Siddartha, Karnataka Olympics Association (KOA) President K Govindaraj and other dignitaries.
Olympian boxer Machaiah was the first to receive the baton from the minister followed by Asian Games marathon bronze winner Seetharam, upcoming tennis player Poojashree Venkatesh, international hockey player Bopanna, former international athletes Damodar Gowda, Somashekar, Sridevi and Nagendra Prasad among others.
The minister launched the five km relay by releasing colourful balloons.
In all 209 persons including officials and sportspersons, with mounted police led by their Commandant S J Mariba Shetty in the lead, participated in the relay.
Students of various schools and colleges had assembled alongside relay route — Chamarajendra Wadiyar Circle, K R Circle, D D Urs road, JLB road, DC office, Ramaswamy Circle, Chamaraja Double road, Basaveshwara Circle, Palace Gate-enhanced the mood — waving colorful flags.
A man dressed as Shera — the official mascot of the games — heightened the excitement of the students. Earlier, Goolihatti D Shekar accorded a warm welcome to the relay that entered Karnataka at Kekkanahalla Check Post near Bandipur around 1.00 pm. It arrived in Mysore at around 5.00 pm passing through Gundlupet and Nanjangud.
Narrow escape
Even as the programme was underway at the Palace Gate, a huge stand put up at the right side of the dais, caved in.
A group of artists who were a part of the cultural troupe were standing beneath and they had a miraculous escape.The incident brought the programme to a halt for a while.