Bhubaneswar, Jan 15 (IANS): The Queen's Baton for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Birmingham from July 28-August 8, arrived here in Odisha on Friday.

Chairman, Odisha Hockey Promotion Council, Dilip Tirkey and officials of the state sports department and Odisha Olympic Association welcomed the Queen's Baton here at the Biju Patnaik International Airport. Eminent sportspersons of Odisha, Anuradha Biswal and Shradhanjali Samantray were also present to welcome the Queen's Baton. The baton will stay in the city on Friday night.

On Saturday, the Queen's Baton, accompanied by officials, will tour the holy town of Puri and Konark before returning to Bhubaneswar for the symbolic relay at the Kalinga Stadium, where eminent sportspersons of the state will participate.

"It is a momentous and historic occasion for us. It is a great honour for our state to receive the Queen's Baton and be part of its journey prior to the commencement of the Commonwealth Games 2022," said Dilip Tirkey.

All arrangements befitting the Queen's Baton and its relay have been made by the state sports department, he said.

The Queen's Baton Relay is a Games' tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across Commonwealth during the build-up to the Games.

The Relay began on October 7, 2021, at Buckingham Palace, where Queen Elizabeth II placed her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton, signifying the start of the 294-day Relay to the 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay will be conducted while maintaining all Covid-19 protocols. The Baton will leave for Singapore on January 16, officials said.

The Baton will return to England in July 2022. The games are expected to take place from July 28 to August 8, 2022.