Bhogeswar Baruah blasts Government for ignorance

Abhiruchi Sports Day celebrated

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Bhogeswar Baruah, the first Arjuna award athlete from Assam, today said that he didn’t get proper treatment from the government and also denied many facilities and awards including Padma Shri.

Baruah was in the city to attend the Abhiruchi Sports Day which is celebrated every year on September 3, the birth day of the septuagenarian.

Talking to the media persons at the side line of the Abhiruchi Sports Day, emotional Baruah said, “I am really very upset. Government has ignored me on several occasions. They even not considered my name for the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the country. I feel any athlete will be upset if he stays in my position.”

Baruah today hailed the performance of Hima Das, the new sensation of Indian athletics, in the recently concluded Asian Games. “Hima proved that she is the star of future. She now needs quality support. I have learnt that Hima was trained under a foreign coach before the Asian Games. I feel the coach has done great job and now Hima should be handed over to her for a long period. I appeal to the State Government to take step in this regard if Athletics Federation of India fails to do so.”

Baruah, who won gold medal in the 1966 Asian Games, also advised Hima not to waste time in felicitation and other programmes. “Hima is the future star and age is with her. So she should focus on the training only.”

Meanwhile Abhiruchi Sports Day was celebrated throughout the State with great enthusiasm today. Guwahati, the central venue, organized only mass jogging today. The other events would be held on September 8 and 9 respectively.

The mass jogging was flagged off by the speaker of Manipur Assembly and Taekwondo exponent Y Khemchand. The flag-off function was also attended by two renowned sports persons Mithu Baruah and Tayabun Nesca respectively.

In a brief speech in the flagged-of function Khemchand said, “It’s really a nice feeling. The enthusiasm of the people towards the event is great.” Around 2000 students and players from different schools and sports organizations participated in the mass jogging.

The award winners of Mass jogging (most disciplined): School-Kaliram Baruah High School (1st), Maharishi Vidyamandir (Kalipur 2nd),Guwahati Refinery School (Noonmati, 3rd).Club and institutions: Sports Authority of India (1st), Guwahati Kho Kho Coaching Centre (2nd) and Manchuria Kung-fu Academy (3rd).