Legends Behind the Game

Radha Govinda Baruah (1900–1977), popularly known as RG, was a keen sports lover and is mostly remembered for single-handedly building the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati. A wrestler and body-builder in his earlier days, RG was a visionary who realized the necessity of a state-of-the-art stadium in Guwahati. Although he faced stiff opposition from different quarters at the time of beginning the construction, he was able to organize a small group which ensured his dream was fulfilled.

Recalling those days, Pulin Das once said, "We learnt a lot of things from RG. He was a very disciplined person and there was hardly a day, whether sunny or rainy, when RG didn't come to my house at 5 o'clock in the morning to take me to Ulubari to supervise the work of the proposed stadium." RG even pumped money from his own pocket to tide over financial crises and organized events like wrestling mania of the Dara Singh kind to raise funds. He was associated with several sports associations including Gauhati Sports Association (founder president), Assam Hockey Association, Assam Cricket Association, and Assam Badminton Association. Also known as the 'Lion Man', RG launched the leading English daily of the state — The Assam Tribune — in 1939. He was honoured with a postage stamp in 2000.

Nurul Amin (1919–1991), the noted sports organizer from Nagaon, took Assam sports to new heights with his unmatched organizing skills. A law graduate, Amin could have easily become a good lawyer — his father Khan Bahadur Nuruddin was a renowned advocate — but his love for sports took him in another direction. He was the president of the All India Football Federation between 1975 and 1980, and was regularly seen with the Indian soccer team as a manager, including as part of the 1962 Asian Games squad that won gold at Jakarta.

Nurul Amin was the first sports organizer from Assam to attend a FIFA meet, held at Montreal in 1976. He was associated with many state associations including the Assam Football Association, Assam Cricket Association, Assam Table Tennis Association, All Assam Tennis Association, and Assam Olympic Association. As the founder secretary of Nagaon Sports Association, he was also instrumental in introducing the Independence Cup — the oldest soccer tournament of Assam. The organizer earned a special place among sports lovers for his zero tolerance of indiscipline, never hesitating to take a tough stand whenever required.

Pulin Das, popularly known as Pulinda, was born on November 1, 1918. A multifaceted personality — athlete, journalist, sports organizer, sports commentator — he set his foot on every sporting arena. As a player, he represented Assam in the Ranji Trophy in 1949 against Holkar and in 1950 against Orissa. Das was the founder secretary of the Assam Cricket Association and later resumed the chair from 1969–1979. He was also associated with the Assam Football Association, Assam Table Tennis Association, Gauhati Town Club, Assam Badminton Association, and Gauhati Sports Association.

Pulinda took the initiative to take the Assam Table Tennis team to Colombo in 1956. A pioneer in sports journalism in Assam, he worked several years for The Assam Tribune and contributed regularly to The Statesman in Kolkata. As a broadcaster, he was the first to deliver a running commentary in Assamese of a football match for All India Radio. A close associate of RG Baruah, Das contributed greatly during the construction of Nehru Stadium. The longest-serving sports organizer of Assam passed away in 2014 at the age of 96.

Nripendra Narayan Singha, born in 1925, was a renowned footballer in his day and also a skilled football referee. He officiated at many Santosh Trophy matches, including the 1964 final between Bengal and Railways. As a sports administrator, he worked with many associations including the Assam Football Association, where he served as general secretary from 1979 to 1984. He was chairman of the AFA's referee board for several years from 1956.

Nripendra was instrumental in setting up the State Sports Council of Assam and served as joint secretary from 1960 to 1990. During that period, Assam was a leading force in the All India Rural Games, from which several international sportspersons emerged. Loved and respected for his amicable nature, he offered his service by organizing various sporting activities throughout the most valuable period of his life.

Born in 1886 at Sylhet, Nalini Mohan Gupta was a father figure of sports in Silchar. During his playing days, Gupta was equally accomplished in football and hockey. He was part of the British Military team that participated in the IFA Shield in 1916–17, and also played in the Beighton Cup representing the state team. He was among the few organizers on whose initiative India Club — the premier institution of Silchar and the oldest club of Assam — was formed in 1900.

Gupta also led India Club in different hockey championships and was associated with many sports organizations both as player and organizer. His organizing skill was superb, and many felt the sports scenario of Silchar would have seen even greater transformation had he not died at the young age of 49. Silchar District Sports Association honoured his legacy by organizing a football championship in his name in 1962 — an event that remains a premier soccer competition in southern Assam.

Jitendra Chandra Dasgupta, popularly known as 'Batuda', was a legendary sports figure in Silchar. Born in 1913, Dasgupta had great passion for tennis and won several titles including three consecutive state championships (1963–65) and a hard court tennis championship at Sylhet in 1936. He was associated with many sports organizations in Silchar.

His most enduring contribution was establishing a tennis court and the premier organization Silchar Town Club, which will be fondly remembered forever. He later became the secretary of the Silchar District Sports Association as well. Dasgupta passed away in 1998, leaving behind a rich legacy in the sporting life of southern Assam.

There are very few sports organizers in Assam who were also accomplished sportspersons. Animesh Ganguly was one of them. He started his career as a footballer at Gauhati Town Club in the mid-1920s but very soon switched to Maharana — another renowned club in the state. Short in stature but a player of high quality, Ganguly turned out for Maharana in several top-level tournaments including the IFA Shield in Kolkata. In 1940, Maharana displayed a spirited performance against Mohammedan Sporting, ending 1-1 on the first day before going down 0-1 in the replay — a match in which Ganguly lost three teeth after being elbowed by a frustrated opponent.

After hanging up his boots, Ganguly devoted the rest of his life to making Maharana a formidable outfit. He travelled to different parts of the state to spot talent, and his personality and organizing abilities earned respect from every quarter. A confirmed bachelor, he felt genuine pleasure only in conversations relating to his club and the possibilities of young players. He was also actively associated with Gauhati Town Club and served as chairman of the Assam Football Association's selection committee since its inception. Gauhati Sports Association later gave him life membership. With his demise in 1974, Assam lost a rare soccer saint.