Assam observes September 3 as “Abhiruchi Sports Day” in respect of legendary Athelete, Bhogeswar Baruah the first Arjuna Awardee of Assam .
September 3 is the birthday of first Arjuna Awardee of Assam ,Bhogeswar Baruah who won gold in 800-metre event of 1966 Asian Games. He is the first assamese to receive the Arjuna Award
Bhogeswar Baruah was born on 3 September 1940 at Sundarpur,Joysagar in Sivsagar district . Right from his childhood he enjoyed sports from a young age, particularly football apart from other sports like boxing, swimming etc.
He joined the Indian Defence Force in 1960 and after joining ,his track was then focused on running rather than football.
Since then Bhogeswar Baruah participated in several running events thereby winning gold in numerous events. In 1965, he set a national record finishing the 800 metre race in 1 min 49.9 seconds in the National Athletics Competition held in Bangalore. Next he set a new record in 1966 Asian Games where he won gold by running the 800 metres in 1 minute 49.4 seconds. After gold he won a silver medal in the 1970 Asian Games in a 4×400 metre relay.
Early career
- Bhogeswar Baruah won gold in 1963 at the All India Open Athletics Meet Relay held in New Delhi.
- Won gold in 1964 at the National Athletic Competition held in Chandigarh.
- Won gold in 1965 at the National Athletic Competition in Bangalore . He also set a national record by finishing the 800 metre race in 1 min 49.9 seconds.
Asian games
- Won gold in 1966 Asian Games held in Bangkok in the 800 metres athletics event. Bhogeswar Baruah set a new record in Asia by in that time by finishing in 1 minute 49.4 seconds. With this achievement not only did he win a gold medal, but he also became the first Assamese to win gold at an international level.
- In 1970, Bhogeswar Baruah was part of the Indian team that won silver at the 1970 Asian Games in the 400 metre relay He also was one of the athletes who carried a torch in a relay in the opening of the 2016 South Asian Games .
Bhogeswar Baruah once received an exclusive compliment from Baruah himself considers the best compliment to be from “the Flying Sikh”Milkha Singh in 1986 in which Singh said –
“you are very lucky. I am called the Flying Sikh, but I doubt even my neighbours know when my birthday is. And here in Assam, your birthday is celebrated with so much grandeur. I really envy you.”
In 2019 on the 36th Abhiruchi Sports day, Chief Minister Sarbananada Sonowal said on Twitter:
“Shri Bhogeswar Baruah is an inspiration for us all and his contribution towards Assam’s sports scenario, both as an athlete and coach, is immense.”
— Sarbanada Sonowal, 3 September 2019
Awards and Honours
- Arjuna Award 1966)
- Lachit Award (2015)
- Bir Chilarai Award (2019), presented by Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal
Bhogeswar Baruah established a sports academy in the early 90’s in Dimow in sivsagar. However due to lack of funds the academy was shut down after three years.
The year 2019 was significant for the legendary athlete as former chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of Bhogeswar Baruah’s state sports school at the sports complex in Guwahati’s Sarusajai .
Arjuna Awardee Bhogeswar Baruah also served as the brand ambassador of “Khel Sivsagar Khel” of an ambitious sports initiative planned under the “Soulful Sivsagar” adopted by the then Sivsagar District Colelctor Dr. M.S Lakshmkpriya in 2020.
The legendary athelete has paved the way inspiring the Assamese youth in the field of sports. He was the first to mark his name in golden letters at the National level. “Bhogeswar Baruah” the name is an inspiration and will continue to remain an inspiration for the generations to come.
