Arjuna Awardee Bhogeswar Baruah criticizes Assam Government’s sports policy for neglecting rural talent

Bhogeswar Baruah, Assam’s first Arjuna Awardee and a celebrated sprinter, has expressed his disappointment with the state government's approach to sports development, particularly its failure to identify and nurture talent in rural areas.  

In a candid statement to PTI, the 84-year-old athlete, who clinched a gold medal in the 800m event at the 1966 Asian Games, lamented the stagnation in sports talent production across Assam.

"It is sad to say there is no production of sportspersons anywhere in Assam. Earlier, we used to organize camps to attract new talent, but it is not happening anymore," he remarked while speaking to PTI.

Baruah also criticized the lack of utilization of government-appointed coaches, who, he suggested, could be deployed to districts to conduct training camps and identify budding athletes.

He emphasized that such initiatives are crucial for fostering a thriving sports culture in the state, but they appear to be absent in the current policy framework.


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