The Queen’s Baton Relay spent four days exploring India where it visited New Delhi, Bangalore and Bhubaneswar.
On the first day, Ravi Dahiya, champion wrestler, took on the Relay and represented India as the nation’s first Batonbearer, during the route around New Delhi. This visit to the capital city marks the first previous host city visited by the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay.
The Relay continued with a visit to Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium where athletes ran around the stadium with the Baton. The Relay stopped India Gate, a war memorial, in honour of those who died in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War.
The Business and Tourism Programme (BATP) for Birmingham 2022 hosted a virtual showcase event, which focused on the opportunities that the West Midlands offer for tourists, export, trade, and investors. During the webinar, BATP revealed the first iteration of a digital artwork, which includes words and images in response to the poem by spoken word artist Amerah Saleh, entitled “The Relaytionship”. The artwork will grow and evolve as more people contribute to it; members of the Commonwealth are encouraged to add their own touch to it!
University of Birmingham, official partner of the Queen’s Baton Relay, chose Vinisha Umashankar as a Batonbearer to represent India. Vinisha is a 14-year-old student from Tamil Nadu, India, who designed a mobile, solar powered, ironing cart which reduces the need for polluting coal energy. Vinisha recently spoke at COP26 about the effects of climate change on her generation after being invited by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.
Day three saw the Queen’s Baton Relay explore Bangalore, the capital of India's southern Karnataka state. The Relay began at Vidhana Soudha, an architecturally impressive building which houses the Legislative Chambers of the state government. The day ended with a visit to Sree Kanteerava Stadium Sports Complex.
Among the Batonbearers in Bangalore was Anju Bobby George, a retired Indian athlete. She had a very successful career in the long jump and triple jump events, including winning a bronze medal at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
15 January 2022 marked the final day of activities in India as well as the 100th day of the Queen’s Baton Relay so far. The Baton was taken to explore the eastern state Odisha’s capital, Bhubaneswar.
Batonbearers completed a Relay from Kalinga Stadium to Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the Governor of Maharashtra. Among the many inspirational Batonbearers in Bhubaneswar were Dutee Chand, the first Indian national to win a gold medal in 100m race in a global competition as well as Jayanti Behera, para-athlete and world youth champion in the TR 400m event.
While in Odisha, the Baton visited the Konark Sun Temple, which was built in the 13th Century and is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya. At the Konark Sun Temple, local women performed the Odissi dance in traditional purple, gold, and blue costume.
