The Hindu Business Line : Olympic flame passes through Delhi

THE Olympic flame arrived in India after nearly forty years and not only celebrity sportspersons and film personalities participated in the relay but huge crowds gathered to cheer the torchbearers.

The run started its journey at the historical Qutab Minar with the Indian Olympic Association President, Mr Suresh Kalmadi, holding the flame and was finally culminated at the National Stadium where the flame was lit. Others who participated in the relay included sports persons such as `Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh, shooter Moorad Ali Khan, cricketers Rahul Dravid, Virendra Sehwag and Kapil Dev while the tinsel town was represented by Aishwarya Rai, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukherjee and others.

While the Torch relay was a good branding opportunity for sponsors, Coca-Cola and Samsung, Mr Kalmadi reiterated the country's determination to host the mega event in 2016. "We hosted the Afro-Asian Games that united both the continents. We also got support from the Commonwealth Games members to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games. India will be the lone country to bid for the 2016 Olympics from Asia and Africa," he said.

A lantern carrying the flame, a symbol of `noble competition, friendship, peace, culture and education,' arrived here from Beijing in a Boeing 747 as part of its global journey that began in Athens on June 3. It will pass through 33 cities in six continents before returning to the Greek capital for the Games starting on August 13.