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Much feared of any mishappening due to protest all over the world, the Indian leg of Olympic Torch Relay ended peacefully in New Delhi on Thursday. After the relay, IOA President Suresh Kalmadi congratulated all the torch bearers and others present.

The Olympic cauldron was lit at India Gate by Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, culminating the Olympic torch relay run in the capital.

Despite threats from Tibetan protesters Olympic torch relay started from Rashtrapati Bhawan amid tight security along the 2.3 Km stretch of the relay in Delhi guarded by as many as 17,000 security personnel. The relay lasted for around 40 minutes. Around 70 celebrities took part in the relay including sports stars, film stars and politicians.

Indian leg is considered much sensitive place in global voyage of the relay as about one lakh exiled Tibetans are living here. They are protesting against Chinese crackdown in Lhasa.

The relay began with IOA President Suresh Kalmadi handing over the torch to prominent sports persons such as Anju Bobby George, Zafar Iqbal and Abhinav Bindra, from where it passed into the hands of Kunjurani Devi, Saif Ali Khan, Aslam Sher Khan and others.

Sprint Queen P T Usha, former Olympic bronze medalist weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari and world shooting champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu were among other sportspersons took part in the relay.

Among the participants in the rally were a large number of monks attired in traditional red robes, women and children.

They were supported by prominent personalities like George Fernandes, Ramdas Athavale, Jaya Jaitley, Kirti Azad, Swami Agnivesh, Sudheendra Kulkarni and Nafisa Ali.

Around 60 Tibetans were detained as they attempted to block roads and entered into minor clashes with police in various parts of Delhi.

With the area in and around Rajpath out of bounds, hundreds of Tibetans took out a parallel torch relay run from Rajghat, the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi [Images], to Jantar Mantar, which has been the epicentre of Tibetan protests over the past several days.

Protesters who participated in the relay shouted slogans and Banners like “Free Tibet” and “Azad Tibet, Surakshit Bharat” and waving Tibetan flags.

The public was kept out and all the access roads to the historic stretch was cut off for several hours to ensure a smooth passage of the torch relay, which was earlier plagued by disruptions in London, San Francisco and Paris.

The torch reached New Delhi from Islamabad Yesterday amid tight security which is now going to reach Bangkok after the smooth run on Delhi roads. Suresh Kalmadi said that the IOA is determined to keep up the spirit of the Olympics.

Tags: China, Delhi, India, Lhasa, Olympic, Tibet, Torch

Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan on Tuesday denied taking part in Olympic torch relay in New Delhi this week reasoning some strong personal factors behind.

However she didn’t disclose her personal reasons to media but she said that she supports the relay.

Soha who initially said yes to run with the relay along with her actor brother Saif Ali Khan said on Tuesday, “I fully support the Olympic relay and am saddened at the disruptions in its path in various parts of the world as well as the violence in Tibet. But I can’t run due to strong personal reasons.”

Sahin Tendulkar, who initially said ‘Yes’ to hold the torch, also denied today to run because of his groin injury.

Earlier, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Magsaysay Awardee Dr Kiran Bedi and National football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, a Buddhist refused to carry the Olympic torch.

Those who supported the relay includes Leander Paes, actor Saif Ali Khan, Tata Consultancy Services CEO Subramanian Ramadorai, Ingram Micro India CEO Jaishankar Krishnan and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vaibhav Bagaria from Nagpur including Ex Olympian Milkha Singh and India’s number one golfer Jyoti Randhawa.

The torch-relay is taking place in the wake of worldwide protests by Tibetans against the crackdown in Lhasa.

Olympic torch will reach to Delhi tonight and will go through the Capital tomorrow on April 17.

Tags: China, India, Khan, Olympic, Pakistan, Soha Ali Khan, Tibet, Torch

India’s Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has pulled out from the Indian leg of the Olympic torch relay going to be held in the Capital city on Thursday, the 17th April. Sachin’s groin injury that ruled him out of the Test series against South Africa is told as the reason behind his refusal.

Sachin said that he was invited by IOA and it is a matter of proud for him. But he will not be able to run because of his fitness.

Olympic torch has arrived in Pakistan’s capital city Islamabad early on Wednesday on the first leg of its relay in Asia. The torch, touring the world ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing in August, arrived in a chartered plane from Muscat at an airbase in the nearby city of Rawalpindi.

Earlier, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Magsaysay Awardee Dr Kiran Bedi and National football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, a Buddhist refused to carry the Olympic torch.

The Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan, who initially gave her consent to take part in the relay also refused to run because of some personal reasons.

The torch will reach in Delhi tonight. Fearing Tibetan protest, India also squeezed the route for the relay on Tuesday. The new route is less than a third part of its original 9 Km path. The torch will now travel the two-and-a-half-kilometer route between Vijay Path and India Gate. More than 3000 security personnel have been deployed for the event.

The torch-relay is taking place in the wake of worldwide protests by Tibetans against the crackdown in Lhasa.

Tags: China, India, Olympic, Pakistan, Sachin, Sachin Tendulkar, Tendulkar, Tibet, Torch

After inviting the batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) now seeks Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi along with other young Parliamentarians to take part in the Indian leg of the Olympic Torch Relay.

IOA president Suresh Kalmadi said the step to invite political personalities has been taken on the behest of the organisers.

“They want people from all walks of life to take part in the relay. So, we have invited few young MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada and Sachin Pilot,” Kalmadi told.

However Kalmandi said that formal invitation is sent to Rahul but he will visit personally to them and will invite in the relay.

He also assured that the Indian leg of the relay going to take place on April 17 in New Delhi would go without any trouble in spite of protests all over the world.

“The torch relay is a matter of pride and we would ensure that no untoward incident takes place. Everything has been planned and there would be adequate security measures,” he said.

However, sources close to Gandhi family disclosed that the young Gandhi is unlikely to accept the invitation. Reason is not yet cleared.

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Other greats from diverse fields like Leander Paes, actors Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan, Tata Consultancy Services CEO Subramanian Ramadorai, Ingram Micro India CEO Jaishankar Krishnan and orthopedic surgeon Dr Vaibhav Bagaria from Nagpur will also take part in the event.

Tags: Gandhi, IOA, Olympic, Rahul, Rahul Gandhi, Sachin, Torch

The Indian cricket hero, master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is looking forward to participate in the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay to be held in the Capital city on Monday April 17.

Indian Olympics Association president Suresh Kalmandi confirmed his ongoing presence in the relay.

The Olympic relay is in trouble for being protested by Tibetans following China’s crackdown in Tibet. Today demonstrators interrupted the relay in Paris and forced the officials to extinguish the torch twice which is re-lit after a lot of efforts.

There are also strong chances of protest and demonstrations by Tibetans and other human right groups in Delhi also on the day of the torch relay next week against China’s Tibetan policy.

For security concerns and to avoid any mis happening due to protest the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) shortened the route of the relay in Capital city. Earlier the route was set from Red Fort to India Gate covering around 8-9 Km area which is now squeezed to only 2-3 Km.

The batting maestro, who has been ruled out of the ongoing Test series against South Africa, will have the privilege of sharing the honor with greats from diverse fields like Leander Paes, actors Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan, Tata Consultancy Services CEO Subramanian Ramadorai, Ingram Micro India CEO Jaishankar Krishnan and orthopedic surgeon Dr Vaibhav Bagaria from Nagpur.

“It is a great honor for me. I grew up watching the Olympics and I am looking forward to carry the torch,” Tendulkar told.

India’s football captain Baichung Bhutia is the only one who boycotted the relay and denied to take part in it.

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Tags: Baichung Bhutia, China, India, Olympic, Sachin, Saif Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Tendulkar, Tibet, Torch

Due to violent protest over China’s crackdown on Tibet, French officials were forced on Monday to put off Olympic Torch temporarily during the relay through Paris.

Sources said that officials placed the torch in a bus to protect from demonstrators after setting off from the Eiffel Tower. But soon the torch was re-litand relay is resumed after the incident.

However police has already put tight security to protect the torch from the demonstrators. France has deployed more than 3,000 police officers, some on roller blades, along the 28-km Paris leg of relay, to the Charlety stadium, on the southern edge of town; where the torch was due to arrive at 1500 GMT.

The Olympics torch is scheduled to reach the host country Beijing for the 2008 Olympics in August. Although is not meant to be extinguished before reaching the target but all in vain. A traditional lantern that follows the torch, and must not be extinguished at any cost, was spared similar fate.

Several hundred demonstrators waving banners gathered on the Trocadero esplanade, just the other side of the river Seine from the Eiffel Tower. Banners reading “Boycott Chinese goods” and “Save Tibet” were held by the demonstrators.

The Olympic flame arrived at the Charles de Gaulle Airport on Monday, ahead of a high-security tour through the French capital.

The flame was welcomed by China`s Ambassador to France, Mr Kong Quan, and former athlete Guy Drut. But French President Nicholas Sarkozy stayed away from the welcoming ceremony of the torch to register his protest.

Tags: China, France, Olympic, Paris, Tibet, Torch