Akshay is 2010 winter Olympics torchbearer

Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper will visit Mumbai on November 16 to formally invite Akshay Kumar to take part in the torch rally of the winter Olympics, which will be held from February 12 to 28 next year in Vancouver.

Akshay has been nominated India’s ambassador to the games, and is the only actor in the list of prominent torchbearers from across the world. Only 15 international celebrities, including Kumar, have been invited for the rally to Canada. Akshay is the sole Indian to take part in the rally. The only other celebrity from the entertainment world is singer Shania Twain.

“Akshay will run with the torch on December 17. He has been allotted the province of Ontario. In all probability, he will take part in the leg passing through Toronto,” said a source close to the actor. 

Harper has invited 50 CEOs of prominent travel companies in India at The Trident on November 16 where he will make the formal announcement. “It will be an exclusive lunch for the CEOs. The Canadian PM will introduce Akshay as the sole torch bearer from India for the Olympics. The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) will also bring the Olympic Torch to the luncheon,” said an official from the Olympics Committee.

“Akshay was thrilled when the news was conveyed to him a day ago. He has also been told that he was selected because he is the only Indian actor who is a sixth degree black belt, and is quite popular with the sizeable Indian population in Canada,” said a close friend of the actor.

CORRECTION: The error in the Canadian prime minister's name has been rectified.