J&K Deputy CM received Queens Baton at Srinagar airport

Srinagar: Sports personalities of Kashmir and senior ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand received the Queen`s Baton after it reached the city.

On arrival at the Srinagar airport on Tuesday, the Baton was received by Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora and Minister for Higher Education A G Malik, besides Deputy CM Tara Chand. The sports personalities of the valley, including former capain of the Indian football team Abdul Majid Kakroo, ex-state footballer Mohammad Yousuf Dar and well-known skier Gul Mustafa were also present on the occasion. The baton was later taken to Mughal Garden Nishat Bagh and then to Char-Chinari, an island in the Dal lake and then to the Botanical Garden, where it was received by Minister for Health and Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma. The baton relay culminated at S K International Conventional Complex on the banks of the Dal lake. The baton will cover 20000 kms during its relay through 28 states and seven Union Territories before reaching the Capital on September 30. The journey will culminate with the baton entering the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, venue for the October 3 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, an official spokesman said. He said by the time it arrives at the Nehru stadium it would have travelled more than 1.90 lakh kms over 340 days, making it one of the longest relays in the history of the games. The baton will leave for Chnadigarh from here later on Thursday. PTI