Assam honours 7 athletes with State Sports Awards on legend Bhogeswar Baruah’s birth anniversary
Today marks the 84th birth anniversary of Bhogeswar Baruah. The people of Sivasagar celebrated his day by offering a gamosa to his statue located at his birthplace.
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Guwahati, Sept 3: The Assam Government conferred the prestigious State Sports Awards to seven distinguished athletes on Tuesday, celebrating their exceptional contributions to sports. The awards were presented on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Bhogeswar Baruah, Assam’s first Arjuna awardee, observed annually on September 3. The recipients are:
- Bornil Akash Changmai, a prominent badminton player
- Krishna Das, a noted para swimmer
- Abhishek B. Gogoi, recognized for his achievements in special cycling events
- Rajib Dey, a physical training instructor at IIT Guwahati
- Kalyan Barman, a physical instructor at the Nalbari District Sports Office
- Anup Konwar, a weightlifting coach at the Sivasagar District Sports Office
- Uttam Handique, an athletics coach at the Tinsukia District Sports Office
The State Sports Awards are presented each year to honour sportspersons, mentors, and sports personalities who have excelled in their respective fields and inspired others to pursue excellence in sports.
This annual event also marks Abhiruchi Sports Day, named after the sports magazine Abhiruchi, which started the celebration to honour Baruah’s legacy.
Bhogeswar Baruah, born on September 3, 1940, is a renowned former Indian athlete and coach with notable achievements in athletics.
He won a gold medal in the 800-metre race at the 1966 Asian Games and a silver medal in the 4x400 metres relay at the 1970 Asian Games. His remarkable achievements made him the first Assamese to receive the Arjuna Award.
For nearly three decades before the country officially recognised National Sports Day on August 29 in 2012, Assam has commemorated September 3 as a special day to honour Baruah and his contributions to Indian sports.
