Chandigarh, Aug 11 (IANS) Shooter Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s maiden Olympic gold medal at Beijing last year, will be the first to bear 2010 Commonwealth Games baton at the start of Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) in October.
Confirming this, Abhinav’s father A.S. Bindra told IANS here Tuesday, “Abhinav has got a formal invitation to receive the Commonwealth Baton from Queen Elizabeth II at her Buckingham Palace in London on October 29.”

“President of India Pratibha Patil will also attend that function. It is a matter of great pride for us that an Indian is going to start this historic 9,000 kilometre run,” Bindra added.

Queen’s Baton Relay is the curtain-raiser of every Commonwealth Games.

Bindra created history Aug 11 last year by winning a gold in the 10m air-rifle.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be held at New Delhi Oct 3-14. Around 71 member countries would participate in these games in 17 sports disciplines.

The Baton would reach India June 25. Afterwards, it would travel through 25 states and seven union territories.

The union ministry of tourism is also working hard to host these games successfully.

“The government of India in collaboration with private sector is training our manpower and improving the facilities for the participants and tourists,” said Kumari Shelja, union minister of tourism.

She added the service providers such as drivers and conductors, who are the first to interact with the tourists, are being given English language lessons and courtesy manners. There would be adequate arrangement of rooms in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to accommodate the tourists and players.