From Our Correspondent
Mangaldai, Aug 4: In times while entire world is gripped by the Olympic fever to enjoy the ‘Greatest show on Earth’ in Rio, at the same time Karan Boro -a class V standard student of Balisitha LP School of a sleepy village near Khairabari of Bhergaon Sub Division in Udalguri district-35 km to the west from Mangaldai is seemed to be quite indifferent on enjoying the greatest show as he has no television set in his family. Rather he has a strong determition writ large on his face can easily be observed. This ten year old student has made up his mind and taken up the aim to represent his motherland India in the Olympic in near future in Archery.
It is unbelievable to hear it initially in a rural place like Khairabari. Karan Boro is not the only boy to have this dream. His friends mely Aran Boro of Talibari LP School, Sabita Boro-a class VII standard student of Alongbar ME School, Hairy Boro another girl student of Class VII standard of Khairabari HS School and more than fifty students of the locality have the same dream in their mind. These youngsters are highly inspired and encouraged by the achievements of eminent archers of Khairabari mely Sanjoy Boro who won the bronze medal in World Junior Archery Championship in US, Maio rzary and Dipali Boro who bagged gold medal in World Sub Junior Archery meet in Bangladesh and Pramila rzary who took part in an Intertiol Archery meet at Thailand. And keeping it in their mind, all these young archers from the age group of ten years are actively taking part in the archery practice camp at the Khairabari Sports Association ground regularly. It is a touching scene to see them practising in the open field without caring for scorching sun or rain.
Though the locality of Khairabari and the adjoining areas are known as the hub of the Footballers and athletes, but the archery was not a popular sports. But L Phiran Singh –an energetic youth after completion of his Masters Degree in Economics from Guwahati University in 1993 landed in Khairabri to join as a lecturer in the non- provincialized Khairabari College. Though he had no any formal training in Archery or Fencing, yet he could sense the hidden talents in the local youths and with cooperation from youth leader Lwmshrw Daimary (now Executive Member of BTC) and other likeminded youths of locality formed Darrang District Archery Association under Archery Association of Assam in 2003 which has been later remed as Bhergaon District Archery Association (BDAA) following the creation of Udalguri district as per the provisions of the historic ‘Bodoland Accord’ and started the regular practice camp for archery in Khairabari. To make the archery more popular, he organized State Sub Junior Archery Championship in 2005 and State Junior Archery meet in 2012 in Khairabari where in young archers of Khairabari established their talents and skills in the state level by securing medals. Young archer of the locality Mano Ranjan Boro has secured medals in five tiol championships while Khagen Basumatary, Pallabi Boro and Kamini Boro also took part in tiol Championship thereby carving the me of Bhergaon or Khairabari in the tiol field. ‘Drocharya’ LP Singh though is yet to receive any fincial grant or assistance from the government, at the same time has acquired the skill of manufacturing the Indian Bows of intertiol standard using the locally available wood and bamboo, but he had to import the Bow strings from the United States as it is not available in India. Similarly he is using the bamboos from Manipur and Meghalaya for making the arrows. At the cost of Rs.2000.00 to Rs. 4000.00 LP Singh can easily manufacture a quality bow which he has been providing to all the young archers.
Significantly a good number of archers under his training have successfully got employment in various Central government departments or agencies. “I am hopeful that one fine day our boys and girls will make their entry in Olympic representing India. But for that purpose the government should provide us better facilities and infrastructure as all the young archers are hailing from the below poverty level” said LP Singh while talking to The Sentinel at the Khairabari Sports Association ground recently. “The costly recurve bows are beyond our imagition and our archers are bound to use this bow in the intertiol events. And as the archery is required heavy concentration of mind with less physical activities, hence we require a separate ground for our practice” he added. Mention may be made here that LP Singh has started three more such practice camps of archery at Dimakuchi, Bhergaon and at Khagrabari.
It is the high time that the state government should extend all assistances and infrastructure towards the young archers of Khairabari. The conscious circles here also demanded the district administration to confer felicitation on LP Singh on the ensuing Independence Day celebration at Udalguri. Presently LP Singh is actively involved with the Archery Association of Assam (AAA) as a Vice President and President of the Technical Committee.