The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has set-up a two special two man committee of G S Mander and S Raghunathan to help coordinate the first stop on international leg of the Baton's 288 day journey around the 70 countries that make up the Commonwealth following its launch by The Queen at Buckingham Palace in London yesterday.

The event will be much more low-key than Scottish officials had originally planned because the Baton's arrival in Delhi, chosen as the host of the last Commonwealth Games in 2010, clashes with the Dussehra festival, a major event in the Hindu calendar.

Instead the highlight will be a visit to Agra on Saturday (October 12) to be taken to the Taj Mahal, the most iconic symbol of India and which has previously hosted the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2006 Games in Melbourne and New Delhi in 2010.

Appropriately, bagpipes met Bollywood as the Queen's Baton from Glasgow Airport this afternoon to begin a mammoth 190,000 kilometres, 248-day international journey.

There was plenty of interest at Glasgow Airport as the Queen's Baton prepared to leave for New Delhi, host of the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Dancers from the Desi Bravehearts and piper Johnny Gauld performed at the airport on the red carpet rolled out towards the Emirates desk, Official Airline of the Queen's Baton Relay, alongside the Scottish, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Glasgow 2014 flags.

The baton was carried by Louise Martin, honorary secretary of the CGF.

It had started its first official day in Scotland in the heart of the country in Stirling, the former capital of Scotland, where the search was launched for up to 4,000 people to carry the Baton during the 40 days it will tour the country through every local authority area on its return next year, eventually arriving back in Glasgow for the Opening Ceremony on July 23.

The Baton also appeared at a special civic reception hosted by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Sadie Docherty, at Glasgow City Chambers.

"It is a proud moment to see the Glasgow 2014 Queen's Baton take to the skies to begin its momentous journey around the Commonwealth," said Lord Smith, chairman of Glasgow 2014.

"The Queen's Baton Relay is a great tradition of the Commonwealth Games and a wonderful way to build excitement for Glasgow 2014 while sharing the culture and heritage of Glasgow and Scotland with the citizens of the Commonwealth.

"From Buckingham Palace to Stirling and now Glasgow, these memorable moments are just the beginning of what we will see as the baton takes to the global stage and invites the Commonwealth to join us here in Glasgow for a fantastic Games next year."

Glasgow 2014 have launched a campaign to find 4,000 people to take part in the Queen's Baton Relay during its 40 day journey around Scotland next year

It is due to land at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi tomorrow at approximately 8.20pm where it will be met by a group of leading Indian athletes, including Commonwealth Games gold medallists discus thrower Krishna Poonia, shooters Gagan Narang and Samresh Jung, archer Deepika Kumari and weightlifter K Ravi Kumar.

Upon its return from the Taj Mahal on Saturday afternoon it will be taken to India Gate, the site of the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and will then it will head to the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium, venue for the first ever Asian Games in 1951 and host of the 2010 men's hockey World Cup.

The British High Commissioner will host a reception for the Baton in the evening.

On Sunday (October 13) UNICEF will hold a programme before it is taken to the Qutub Minar, the tallest minar in India, originally an ancient Islamic Monument.

Plans for the Baton to be run through the Delhi streets by India's top athletes had to be abandoned because of the Dussehra festival.

The Baton is due to leave Delhi for Bangladesh's capital Dhaka on Monday (October 14).

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