Monnet 'Go for Gold' torch to Olympics reaches Mumbai

Mumbai - The Monnet Go for Gold torch Wednesday reached Mumbai after travelling through many parts of India and Maharashtra with an aim to spread the spirit of sportsmanship in the country, a company official said.

An initiative by Monnet Ispat and Energy Limited (MIEL), the torch run was flagged of from Jammu, covering 50 cities and 6,486 km in 104 days to finally conclude at Kanyakumari.

MIEL is also the sponsors of the Indian boxing team whose seven men boxers and one women boxer have qualified for the 2012 London Olympics.

Monnet Group has also announced cash prizes of Rs.51 lakh for the gold medal winners, Rs.21 lakh for the silver medal winners and Rs.11 lakh to bronze medal winners at the London Olympics.

Travelling from Nagpur via Amravati, Akola, Jalgaon, Dhule, Malegaon, Nashik and Kalyan, the symbolic torch has reached Mumbai.

“It has been an overwhelming experience, as the journey witnessed mammoth support throughout the parts of the country the convoy has travelled,” Sandeep Jajodia, chairman and managing director, MIEL said.

From Mumbai, the Monnet ‘Go for Gold’ torch will proceed towards its final destination Kanyakumari.

Present at the event were hockey player Dhanraj Pillai, Maharashtra Minister of Sports & Youth Welfare Padmakar Valvi, Maharashtra Education Minister Vijay Darda, and the athletes representing India at the 2012 London Olympics.