Polio Flame begins journey to Brazil

Chennai: As part of an effort to celebrate the decades long battle and the ultimate victory over polio in India, the Rotary Club of Madras on Saturday launched a Polio Flame, lit by Rotary international president Gary Huang here. The flame will be taken around various countries before reaching Sao Paulo for the 106th Rotary international convention.The flame will travel around the world to commemorate India becoming a polio-free nation and share its experience and expertise with countries where polio still exists.

“Fire is a benevolent element in Indian culture and the Rotary Flame launched from Chennai is a manifestation of Rotary’s commitment to eradicate polio worldwide,” chairman of the flame committee and past president, Rotary Club of Madras, N.K. Gopinath, said.Once the epicentre of wild polio virus, India, along with the World Health Organization’s southeast Asia region, was officially declared polio-free in March 2014.

The Rotary Flame will be carried by air to several countries, including three remaining polio-endemic countries of Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Before reaching Rotary’s international convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in June 2015, it will traverse through Colombo, Karachi, Kabul, Sydney, Manila, London, Lagos, Evanston and Toronto.