Star-studded Torch relay welcomed the Marathon Flame to Mumbai

Mumbai January, 10, 2010: "Marathon Flame", the closely guarded and protected property of Greece, where the Marathon was born, traveled to Mumbai on Sunday, Jan. 10, as a lead up to the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.  The coming of the "Marathon Flame" to Mumbai is recognition of the growth of the Marathon movement that began seven years ago. The event, with 38,000 participants and more than 200,000 spectators, is a symbol of pride for Mumbai in particular and India at large. 

The historic flame was brought to Mumbai by Maria Polyzou, National Champion Greece and was handed over to Smt. Shailaja Girkar, the Deputy Mayor of Mumbai, John Abraham, event Ambassador SCMM 2010, in the presence of Arvind Jadhav–CMD, Air India and Jaspal Bindra, Group Executive Director & CEO Standard Chartered Bank and Vivek B. Singh of Procam International, the promoters of the event.

The first leg of the marathon flame run was spearheaded by John Abraham from the International Airport and was then carried on by MP Priya Dutt and Dino Morea at Bandra Reclamation. From Wilson College there was a star-studded torch relay to welcome the Flame. Eminent personalities and celebrities like Deputy Chief Minister Shri Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister Anil Deshmukh, Vinod Khanna, Dhanraj Pillay, Shobha De, Simi Garewal, Rahul Bose, Pooja Bedi, Millind Soman, Shaina NC, Taufiq Quereshi, Himanshu Roy, Kiran More, Uttam Khobragade, Jairaj Pathak, Pooja Bedi, Devendra Bharma, Anand Mahindra among others graced the flame.

At Hutatma Chowk, on a specially erected 15-foot high the torch was lit by Shri Chhagan Bhujbal, Anil Deshmukh and Maria Polyzou. This torch will stay lit till the end of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on Sunday, January 17, 2010 and symbolise the spirit of the Marathon.