Asian Games torch lit in Delhi

The torch of the forthcoming Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, was lit by Lt Governor of Delhi Vijay Kapoor and handed over to former Olympic athlete Gurcharan Singh Randhawa at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium in Delhi on Thursday.

Randhawa was joined by Olympic bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari in relaying the torch out of the stadium.

The torch was then carried around the city by Arjuna awardees Bhuvaneshwari Kumari, Manjit Dua, Ashok Kumar, Satish Kumar, Jaspal Rana, Khazan Singh, P K Garg and Sriram Singh for about 10 km before being brought back to the stadium.

It will remain there in a pocket warmer till September 22, when it will be taken to South Korea by the chef de mission of the Indian contingent.

It was in this historic stadium that the first Asian Games was held in 1951 and the first Games' torch lit. It was also at Delhi, in 1997, where the Olympic Council of Asia was born and its flame still lies enshrined.

The Games torch itself was lit by bringing these two flames together by IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and OCA secretary general Randhir Singh.

Brigadier N P Singh, who was in charge of organising today's ceremony, said it is the first time the Games torch was lit simultaneously in all the participating countries.