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un for NOrth east<br />
& Torch Relay: A<br />
unifying force<br />
The Torch Relay of the 12th South Asian Games,<br />
2016 was launched at Major Dhyan Chand National<br />
Stadium, Delhi on 17th January 2016. The ceremony<br />
started with the handing over of the Torch by Shri<br />
N. Ramachandran, IOA President to Shri Sarbananda<br />
Sonowal, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs<br />
(I/C), GoI and Chairman OC-SAG. The Chairman<br />
lit the Torch and handed it over to Arjuna awardees<br />
Shri Zafar Iqbal and Ms Kunjurani Devi for the start<br />
of the relay to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi. The<br />
Torch was received by Shri Rajeev Mehta, Secretary<br />
General, IOA at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi.<br />
Honorable Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in<br />
the inaugural ceremony declared that, “the torch<br />
relay marks the beginning of the 12th South Asian<br />
Games, 2016” and epitomized it as a symbol of<br />
cohesion, peace and harmony. Thereafter, the torch<br />
was taken to Guwahati on 19th January 2016 and<br />
handed over to Prof. Biswajit Basumatary, Head<br />
Torch Relay Team.<br />
The torch relay started on 21st January and went<br />
on till 4th February 2016 covering all the North East<br />
state capitals to create awareness about the Games<br />
and deliver the message of “Play for peace, progress<br />
and prosperity”. The torch relay of the 12th<br />
South Asian Games in the North East was flagged<br />
off from Shillong on 21st January 2016 along with<br />
the Shillong leg of the Run for North East. Dr Mukul<br />
Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya flagged<br />
off the run in the presence of eminent personalities<br />
like boxers MC Mary Kom, L Sarita Devi, model/<br />
actor and Ironman athlete Milind Soman, Karateka<br />
Linza Syiem and footballer Leikini Suting. The torch<br />
then moved to Guwahati and was part of the Guwahati<br />
leg of the Run for North East which was flagged<br />
off by Union Sports Minister Shri Sarbananda<br />
Sonowal on 22nd January 2016 with Arjuna Awardees<br />
Bhogeswar Barua (athletics) and Monalisa Barua<br />
(table tennis) being the torch bearers of the relay.<br />
From Guwahati the torch moved to cover every<br />
state capital of the North Eastern region where it<br />
was received by the respective Chief Ministers of the<br />
remaining North Eastern states and other eminent<br />
personalities from the states. The torch relay was<br />
the binding force that connected the entire North<br />
Eastern region with the Games.<br />
The Torch Relay which carried on across the entire North East region had been instrumental in binding<br />
the people of North East in a single unifying thread, which reflected in the overwhelming response to the<br />
Games in due course of time.<br />
36<br />
12 th SOUTH ASIAN GAMES | POST GAMES REPORT
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