<p>If the 2022 Winter Olympics wasn’t politicised enough over some countries refusing to send delegates to Beijing over human rights concerns, China seems to have taken a notch higher by selecting a PLA soldier, who was involved in the border clash with India, to become the torchbearer at Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The soldier has been identified as Qi Fabao, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) regiment commander. He was grievously wounded during the skirmish with India at Galwan Valley border, China’s Global Times reported.</p>

<p>According to reports, China’s four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion Wang Meng handed over the Olympics flame to Fabao after the relay opened at Winter Olympic Park.</p>

<p>The relay is scheduled between February 2 and 4—the date of the opening of the Games.</p>

<p>The torch will be carried through three host zones, starting with Beijing, then Yanqing district and Zhangjiakou city in the neighbouring Hebei province.</p>

<p>The standoff between India and China along the eastern Ladakh border erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in nearby Pangong Lake.</p>

<p>While the clash claimed 20 Indian soldiers, China refused to divulge their soldiers’ casualty numbers. However, the US intelligence agencies estimated the number to be over 40.</p>

<p>So far, 14&nbsp;rounds of military talks and several diplomatic parleys have been held between New Delhi and Beijing, but the concerns are yet to be fully resolved along the Line of Actual Control.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pla-soldier-from-galwan-clashes-turns-olympics-torchbearer-449976/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


If the 2022 Winter Olympics wasn’t politicised enough over some countries refusing to send delegates to Beijing over human rights concerns, China seems to have taken a notch higher by selecting a PLA soldier, who was involved in the border clash with India, to become the torchbearer at Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday.

If the 2022 Winter Olympics wasn’t politicised enough over some countries refusing to send delegates to Beijing over human rights concerns, China seems to have taken a notch higher by selecting a PLA soldier, who was involved in the border clash with India, to become the torchbearer at Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday. The soldier has been identified as Qi Fabao, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) regiment commander. He was grievously wounded during the skirmish with India at Galwan Valley border, China’s Global Times reported. According to reports, China’s four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion Wang Meng handed over the Olympics flame to Fabao after the relay opened at Winter Olympic Park. The relay is scheduled between February 2 and 4—the date of the opening of the Games. The torch will be carried through three host zones, starting with Beijing, then Yanqing district and Zhangjiakou city in the neighbouring Hebei province. The standoff between India and China along the eastern Ladakh border erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in nearby Pangong Lake. While the clash claimed 20 Indian soldiers, China refused to divulge their soldiers’ casualty numbers. However, the US intelligence agencies estimated the number to be over 40. So far, 14 rounds of military talks and several diplomatic parleys have been held between New Delhi and Beijing, but the concerns are yet to be fully resolved along the Line of Actual Control. × (With inputs from agencies)

Mixing sports with politics? Chinese soldier involved in Galwan clash becomes torchbearer at Winter Olympics

<p>As the entire nation is basking in the glory of India's best-ever medal haul at Olympics, including a gold medal in athletics at Tokyo Games 2020, a piece of&nbsp;news went viral. Pinky Karmakar, who was once an Olympic torchbearer, is currently working as a daily wage labourer in Assam.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On one hand, Indian athletes received a grand welcome with cash rewards, cars, jobs etc upon their arrival from Tokyo, Pinky Karmakar opened up about struggles she has been facing as her "dreams have been shattered".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pinky Karmakar represented India as a torchbearer in the 2012 London Olympics, where India bagged a total of six medals — Sushil Kumar (Silver), Saina Nehwal (Bronze), Mary Kom (Bronze), Vijay Kumar (Silver), Gagan Narang (Bronze), Yogeshwar Dutt (Bronze).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-bhavani-devis-efforts-to-neeraj-chopras-gold-historic-firsts-and-some-shining-moments-of-india-at-tokyo-olympics-404251">Historic firsts and some shining moments of India at Tokyo Olympic</a></strong></p>

<p>During an interaction with ANI, Pinky Karmakar said, "I represented India as a torchbearer in the 2012 London Olympics. I work as a daily wager at a tea garden in Dibrugarh."</p>

<p>"I didn't get enough facilities from the government. I don't understand why. I was selected by UNICEF. My dreams have been shattered," she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The then 17-year-old was studying in Class 10 when she represented India at the London Olympics. She used to run UNICEF's Sports for Development (S4D) program in her school and teach about 40 women and was also an advocate of adult literacy.</p>

<p>"When I was 17-year-old and was studying in Class 10, I used to run a program in my school and teach about women there. It got sponsored by UNICEF," she said.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/with-three-gold-medals-in-hockey-heres-how-india-fared-at-olympics-games-before-independence-404310">With three gold medals in hockey, here's how India fared at Olympics Games before independence</a></strong></p>

<p>She further added, "My family is facing several financial constraints due to which I cannot afford several sports equipment. If I would have got enough facilities, I would also have had represented India in Olympics."</p>

<p>Pinky is currently working as a daily wage labourer at Borborooah tea garden. She is helping her family by supporting them financially as a daily wage labourer at a tea garden in her district.</p>

<p>Indian contingent returned from the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, where India marked its best-ever finish with seven medals, including a gold by javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>With an 87.58 metres throw, Neeraj scripted history after winning a gold medal. It was India's first athletics gold medal at the Olympics Games. He became only the second individual Olympic gold medalist for India after Abhinav Bindra won shooting gold in 2008.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Neeraj Chopra's interview:</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/exclusive-olympic-gold-medalist-neeraj-chopra-speaks-with-wion-403839/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/photos/india-among-countries-with-highest-cash-rewards-for-tokyo-olympic-medalists-check-out-the-complete-list-402017">India among countries with highest cash-rewards for Olympic medalists - Check out the complete list</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>For India, the medal winners are Neeraj Chopra (Gold), Ravi Kumar (Silver), Mirabai Chanu (Silver), Bajrang Punia (Bronze), PV Sindhu (Bronze), Lovlina Borgohain (Bronze) and the men's hockey team (Bronze).&nbsp;</p>


As the entire nation is basking in the glory of India's best-ever medal haul at Olympics, including a gold medal in athletics at Tokyo Games 2020, a piece of news went viral.

As the entire nation is basking in the glory of India's best-ever medal haul at Olympics, including a gold medal in athletics at Tokyo Games 2020, a piece of news went viral. Pinky Karmakar, who was once an Olympic torchbearer, is currently working as a daily wage labourer in Assam. On one hand, Indian athletes received a grand welcome with cash rewards, cars, jobs etc upon their arrival from Tokyo, Pinky Karmakar opened up about struggles she has been facing as her "dreams have been shattered". Pinky Karmakar represented India as a torchbearer in the 2012 London Olympics, where India bagged a total of six medals — Sushil Kumar (Silver), Saina Nehwal (Bronze), Mary Kom (Bronze), Vijay Kumar (Silver), Gagan Narang (Bronze), Yogeshwar Dutt (Bronze). IN PICS | Historic firsts and some shining moments of India at Tokyo Olympic During an interaction with ANI, Pinky Karmakar said, "I represented India as a torchbearer in the 2012 London Olympics. I work as a daily wager at a tea garden in Dibrugarh." "I didn't get enough facilities from the government. I don't understand why. I was selected by UNICEF. My dreams have been shattered," she added. The then 17-year-old was studying in Class 10 when she represented India at the London Olympics. She used to run UNICEF's Sports for Development (S4D) program in her school and teach about 40 women and was also an advocate of adult literacy. "When I was 17-year-old and was studying in Class 10, I used to run a program in my school and teach about women there. It got sponsored by UNICEF," she said. IN PICS | With three gold medals in hockey, here's how India fared at Olympics Games before independence She further added, "My family is facing several financial constraints due to which I cannot afford several sports equipment. If I would have got enough facilities, I would also have had represented India in Olympics." Pinky is currently working as a daily wage labourer at Borborooah tea garden. She is helping her family by supporting them financially as a daily wage labourer at a tea garden in her district. Indian contingent returned from the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, where India marked its best-ever finish with seven medals, including a gold by javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. With an 87.58 metres throw, Neeraj scripted history after winning a gold medal. It was India's first athletics gold medal at the Olympics Games. He became only the second individual Olympic gold medalist for India after Abhinav Bindra won shooting gold in 2008. Neeraj Chopra's interview: × IN PICS | India among countries with highest cash-rewards for Olympic medalists - Check out the complete list For India, the medal winners are Neeraj Chopra (Gold), Ravi Kumar (Silver), Mirabai Chanu (Silver), Bajrang Punia (Bronze), PV Sindhu (Bronze), Lovlina Borgohain (Bronze) and the men's hockey team (Bronze).

Pinky Karmakar, once an Olympic torchbearer now works as a daily wage labourer in Assam

olympic-torchbearer

Olympic Torchbearer, News on Olympic Torchbearer, stories on Olympic Torchbearer, articles on Olympic Torchbearer, Olympic Torchbearer stories at Wion, Olympic Torchbearer news, Olympic Torchbearer latest news

olympic torchbearer

Mixing sports with politics? Chinese soldier involved in Galwan clash becomes torchbearer at Winter Olympics

Pinky Karmakar, once an Olympic torchbearer now works as a daily wage labourer in Assam