The Queen’s Baton travelled through Colombo, Negombo, Wennappuwa, Kurunegala to Kandy, with a grand ceremony opposite Dalada Maligawa. It also travelled through Galle to the Pinnawela Elephant orphanage before being brought back to Colombo by a special train.

Welcoming the Queen’s Baton Relay in Hotel Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, the Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha observed that he was particularly happy that this event was taking place immediately after the most successful state visit of His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka to India. This landmark visit has further enriched and reinforced close bonds between the peoples of India and Sri Lanka, he said.

The High Commissioner expressed India’s high appreciation for the painstaking preparations made by the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and the full support extended by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Indian and Sri Lankan tour operators had also had a useful networking session earlier that evening, the High Commissioner observed. He assured the Sri Lankan contingent that a warm welcome awaited them in India and wished them the best of luck.