Queen's Baton unveiled as a prelude to Commonwealth Games 2010

New Delhi, Mar 9 (ANI): The countdown to the Commonwealth Games in 2010 has officially begun. The prototype of Queen's Baton was unveiled at a spectacular show here last evening.

Delhi Lt. Governor Tejinder Khanna performed the honour to a thunderous applause from the hundreds of enthusiastic sports lovers who had gathered at the India Gate lawns on the eve of Commonwealth Day, celebrated on the second Monday of March every year.

The Queen's Baton, embedded with the soil of each of India's 28 states, portrays the rich diversity of India. Equipped with high-tech electronic gadgets and a gold leaf inscribed with the Queen's message, the Baton also represents the resilient spirit of Indians and their prowess in the field of technology and IT.

"The Baton indicates the soil of all states of India. Secondly, it is high-tech and people expect that if India designs a Baton then it would surely be high-tech.

Wherever the Baton travels, it will show the colour of that country. It clicks photographs and identifies the location where it is present. Short Messaging Service (SMS) can be sent to it which gets recorded and such features are loaded in it," said Lalit Bhanot, Organising Secretary of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

The cultural extravaganza witnessed a visual pageant including a giant water screen, a show by the 'Flying Angels' performers of toll theatre from United Kingdom and classical Indian dances.

The Queen's Baton will be officially launched by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in November 2009. (ANI)