GCCC Honors BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in a Grand Ceremony

OUR SPORTS REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Guwahati Cricket Coaching Centre (GCCC) felicitated Devajit Saikia, the newly elected secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in a heartfelt ceremony held at the Nehru Stadium here today. The event was filled with warmth and enthusiasm, drawing a distinguished crowd of former cricketers and prominent sports organizers.

Founded in 1984, the GCCC has been a pioneering institution in nurturing talented cricketers from Assam. Saikia was a former trainee of the centre's first batch. It also played a pivotal role in the development of Riyan Parag, the current rising star of Indian cricket.

During the ceremony, Saikia was presented with a gamocha, a citation, and a memento by former cricketers of the coaching centre. Reflecting on his journey Saikia became nostalgic. “This is where my cricket journey began under Nababda (Nabab Ali, Chief Coach of the Centre). We had a great team, and even the present Chief Minister, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, was part of that team. Nababda was very strict about discipline, and he didn’t hesitate to inform our guardians if we went astray during training,” he shared.

Saikia further emphasized the importance of the centre in shaping his career. “The centre played a crucial role in keeping us active throughout the year. Back then, the cricket season was limited to October to March or April, and there was no off-season training. GCCC was perhaps the first in the state to offer year-round cricket training. We spent countless hours here, honing our skills. Returning to the centre today and being honored here feels special,” he said.

Saikia, who played a key role in the development of Assam's cricket infrastructure during his tenure as the secretary of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), also provided updates on upcoming projects. He revealed that the new cricket ground at Fulung is nearing completion, with the ground, wicket, and pavilion already ready. Work on the indoor practice arena, gymnasium and other facilities is progressing well, with expectations of completion by June. “The ACA’s cricket academy, currently based at Barsapara’s ACA Stadium, will soon be relocated to Fulung,” Saikia announced.

In addition, he highlighted the progress of the proposed international cricket stadium in Amingaon. “Guwahati will soon have its second international cricket stadium, as work on the Amingaon stadium is advancing satisfactorily. We expect it to be ready by the end of this year,” he added, marking another significant milestone in the state’s cricketing future.

The guests graced the felicitation programme included president of Guwahati Sports Association Paresh Chandra Das, former treasurer of Assam Cricket Association Prasanna Kalita, sports organizer Ganesh Tamuly, senior journalist  Pranoy Bordoloi, president of Guwahati Cricket Coaching Centre Rajib Prakash Baruah, its Chief Coach Nabab Ali, former cricketer Zakaria Zuffri and Sajjad Zaheer Hussain. Navarang Club, lead by its president Rajib Prakash Baruah, also honoured Saikia during the same event.

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