Amitabh Bachchan carries Olympic torch in London
LONDON (July 26, 2012): Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday carried the Olympic torch amid loud cheers from hundreds of his fans at Southwark here, a day before the opening ceremony.
Bachchan, 69, had already tweeted that he would be carrying the torch in London on Thursday at 10.30 am.
Bachchan said he was “honoured” to be asked to carry the flame and that it was “a proud moment for me and the country”.
“Honoured to be asked to carry the Olympic torch in London at Southwark around 10:30 BST,” Bachchan tweeted on Wednesday evening.
“I don t think that many of them knew me, but they knew the torch that I was carrying. And I think that s really what was more significant and important.
Yes, there is an Indian community and they know me from my films.
But I think the torch, and its value, and its significance is what really matters in the Olympics.”
And he sent his best wishes to the Indian athletes competing in the 2012 Games. “I hope we do well. We ve gradually been making a lot of progress as far as sports are concerned. I feel primarily the fact that ever since the economy has opened up in India we have had the facility to invite bigger and professional talent from outside to train people within the country and I think that is proving to be very fruitful – whether it is in the boxing arena or the track and field events or even the hockey, which is traditionally our national game. I hope we do well and my best wishes to all of them,” Amitabh added.
One billion people are expected to tune in around the world for the opening ceremony on Friday evening.
