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{{short description|Indian former-athlete and coach|bot=PearBOT 5}} | {{short description|Indian former-athlete and coach|bot=PearBOT 5}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}} | {{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}} | ||
{{Infobox sportsperson | {{Infobox sportsperson | ||
| name | | name = Bhogeswar Baruah | ||
| image | | image = | ||
| image_size = | |||
| image_size | | alt = Bhogeswar Barua | ||
| alt | | caption = Bhogeswar Baruah | ||
| caption | | headercolor = teal | ||
| headercolor | | native_name = | ||
| native_name | |||
| native_name_lang = | | native_name_lang = | ||
| birth_name | | birth_name = | ||
| fullname | | fullname = | ||
| nickname | | nickname = | ||
| nationality | | nationality = [[People of Assam|Assamese]]; [[Indian people|Indian]] | ||
| ethnicity | | ethnicity = | ||
| citizenship | | citizenship = | ||
| birth_date | | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|09|03|df=yes}} | ||
| birth_place | | birth_place = [[Sibsagar]], [[Assam]] | ||
| death_date | | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|df=yes|death year|death month|death day|birth year|birth month|birth day}} --> | ||
| death_place | | death_place = | ||
| resting_place | | resting_place = | ||
| monuments | | monuments = Abhiruchi Sports Day is celebrated annually in [[Assam]] in his honor | ||
| residence | | residence = | ||
| education | | education = | ||
| alma_mater | | alma_mater = | ||
| occupation | | occupation = | ||
| years_active | | years_active = | ||
| employer | | employer = | ||
| agent | | agent = | ||
| height | | height = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | ||
| weight | | weight = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | ||
| spouse | | spouse = | ||
| life_partner | | life_partner = | ||
| other_interests | | other_interests = | ||
| website | | website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} --> | ||
| country | | country = | ||
| sport | | sport = Athlete | ||
| position | | position = | ||
| disability | | disability = | ||
| disability_class = | | disability_class = | ||
| rank | | rank = 1st | ||
| event | | event = Asian Games | ||
| collegeteam | | collegeteam = | ||
| universityteam | | universityteam = | ||
| league | | league = | ||
| league_type | | league_type = | ||
| club | | club = | ||
| team | | team = | ||
| turnedpro | | turnedpro = | ||
| partner | | partner = | ||
| former_partner | | former_partner = | ||
| coach | | coach = | ||
| retired | | retired = | ||
| coaching | | coaching = | ||
| worlds | | worlds = | ||
| regionals | | regionals = | ||
| nationals | | nationals = | ||
| olympics | | olympics = Chef-de-mission of the Assam Olympic Association | ||
| paralympics | | paralympics = | ||
| highestranking | | highestranking = 1966 [[Arjuna Award]] winner | ||
| pb | | pb = | ||
| medaltemplates = | | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's athletics}} | ||
{{MedalSport|Men's athletics}} | |||
{{Medal|Country|{{IND}}}} | {{Medal|Country|{{IND}}}} | ||
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Games]]}} | {{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Games]]}} | ||
{{MedalGold|[[Athletics at the 1966 Asian Games|1966 Bangkok]]|800 m}} | {{MedalGold|[[Athletics at the 1966 Asian Games|1966 Bangkok]]|800 m}} | ||
{{MedalSilver|[[Athletics at the 1970 Asian Games|1970 Bangkok]]|4 × 400 m}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianathletics.in/medal-winners-of-asian-games/ | title=MEDAL WINNERS OF ASIAN GAMES | publisher=Athletics Federation of India | accessdate=18 July 2021}}</ref> | {{MedalSilver|[[Athletics at the 1970 Asian Games|1970 Bangkok]]|4 × 400 m}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianathletics.in/medal-winners-of-asian-games/ | title=MEDAL WINNERS OF ASIAN GAMES | publisher=Athletics Federation of India | accessdate=18 July 2021}}</ref> | ||
| father = Bhodraswar Baruah | |||
| mother = Aikon Baruah | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Bhogeswar Baruah''' (Assamese: ভোগেশ্বৰ বৰুৱা | '''Bhogeswar Baruah''' (Assamese: ভোগেশ্বৰ বৰুৱা; born 3 September 1940)<ref>[https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Bhogeswar%20Baruah+site:shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in&kl=us-en&kl=us-en ''Case Studies on Individual Elite Players & Athletes'']; .pdf auto-download: shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in'; retrieved May 2014</ref> is an [[Indian people|Indian]] former-athlete and coach. He was one of the first [[People of Assam|Assamese]] to win gold at an international event, winning a He gold medal in an [[800 metres|800-metre]] running event of at the [[1966 Asian Games]]. He also won a silver medal in the [[4 × 400 metres relay|4 x 400 metres relay]] in the 1970 Asian games. He is a recipient of the [[Arjuna Award]] and is the first Assamese to obtain the Arjuna award.<ref name=":2">[http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050718/asp/northeast/story_5001985.asp ''Bhogeswar Barua Bonus for Assam'']; STAFF ; Monday, 18 July 2005 article; ''[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]''; accessed May 2014.</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-04-25 |title=Biography of Bhogeswar Baruah » Dev Library |url=https://devlibrary.in/biography-of-bhogeswar-baruah/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=Dev Library |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
Baruah was born on 3 September in 1940. He came from a farmer’s family, and was very poor while growing up in [[Sivasagar]]. Baruah enjoyed sports from a young age, particularly football. He joined the Indian Defence Force in 1960, which led to him focusing on running rather than football.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Baruah began his early running career shortly after his entry into the army. He participated in several running events, winning gold in numerous events. In 1965, in the National Athletics Competition held in [[Bangalore]], he set a national record finishing the 800 metre race in 1 min 49.9 seconds.<ref name=":0" /> In the [[1966 Asian Games]] he won gold by running the 800 metres in 1 minute 49.4 seconds, which set a new record in [[Asia]]. In the [[1970 Asian Games]], he won a silver medal in a [[4 × 400 metres relay|4 x 400 metre relay]].<ref name=":2" /> | |||
Baruah's birthday is celebrated on 3 September every year in [[Assam]], which was named the "[[Abhiruchi Sports Day]]" in his honor. He also started a sports academy at Dimow in [[Sivasagar]] in the early 1990s. But after operating for three years, he had closed it down due to lack of funds.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Star-athletes-dream-runs-off-track/articleshow/8528896.cms ''Star Athlete`s Dream Runs Off Track'']; 23 May 2011, 12.23 PM IST article; ''[[Times of India]]'' online; accessed May 2014.</ref> Baruah is considered a sporting icon and household name in Assam.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Making sports a celebration and a tribute - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/making-sports-a-celebration-and-a-tribute/214355/ |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=archive.indianexpress.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Buried tale of a once-forgotten hero - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/buried-tale-of-a-onceforgotten-hero/23183/ |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=archive.indianexpress.com}}</ref> | |||
== Early life and military career == | |||
Bhogeswar Baruah was born on 3 September 1940 in Sundarpur in Joyasagar in the Sibasagar district. His father was Bhodraswar Baruah and his mother was Aikon Baruah. Baruah had 7 siblings and was the 6th child out of the 8 siblings. Baruah came from a poor family and his father, the late Bhodraswar Baruah, was uneducated and the economic condition of his family was not good enough to maintain his outfit. | |||
Baruah spent the early years of his colourful life in [[Sivasagar]]. Baruah was initially attracted to football, however he also enjoyed boxing and swimming as well as several other sports.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Baruah joined the EME department of the [[Indian Defence Force]] in 1960. The course of his life gradually changed after joining the department because he gradually began to focus on running instead of football.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
== Sporting career == | |||
=== Early career === | |||
Baruah participated in the All India Open Athletics Meet Relay in [[New Delhi]]. Baruah managed to win gold in the relay.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Baruah participated in the [[400 metres|400 metre]] and [[800 metres|800 metre]] race at the Open Athletics held in Sri Lanka in 1964. He again won gold in this event.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
In 1964, Baruah participated in the National Athletic Competition held in [[Chandigarh]] and in 1965, he participated in the National Athletic Competition held in [[Bangalore]]. Notably, he also won a gold medal in these 1964-1965 events. He however not only managed to win gold, but in the 1965 event, Baruah set a national record by finishing the 800 metre race in 1 min 49.9 seconds.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
=== Asian games === | |||
In 1966, Baruah managed to bring glory to [[Assam]] and the [[Northeast India|North East]], by winning gold in the [[1966 Asian Games]] held in [[Bangkok]] in the [[Athletics at the 1966 Asian Games|800 metres athletics event]]. Baruah finished in 1 minute 49.4 seconds, which set a new record in Asia by in that time. Not only did Baruah win a gold medal, but he also became the first Assamese to win gold at an international level.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
In 1970, Baruah was part of the Indian team that won silver at the 1970 Asian Games in the [[4 × 400 metres relay|400 metre relay]].<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Baruah also was one of the athletes who carried a torch in a relay in the opening of the [[2016 South Asian Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Archiman Bhaduri|date=Feb 6, 2016 |title=12th SA Games: Digital touch to opening {{!}} More sports News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/12th-sa-games-digital-touch-to-opening/articleshow/50876537.cms |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> | |||
== Later career == | |||
After his retirement from the Indian Army, Baruah found it difficult to maintain his family of five and had to take up the job of a driver in [[Sivasagar|Sibsagar]].<ref name=":3" /> | |||
Later on, the Assamese sports magazine, Abhiruchi, brought his state to the notice of people and also wrote a letter to the President of India.<ref name=":3" /> | |||
As a reaction, [[Oil and Natural Gas Corporation|ONGC]] elevated him to the post of Regional Sports Officer in 1983. The Government also sanctioned a petrol pump in his name at Numaligarh later.<ref name=":3" /> | |||
== Contributions to the sporting world == | |||
Baruah established a sports academy in Dimow in Sibasagar in the early 90s. Through the academy, Baruah shared his experiences and started training the younger generations interested in sports. However after three years, the academy was shut down due the lack of funding.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
In 2019, [[List of chief ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]] [[Sarbananda Sonowal]] laid the foundation for the stone of Bhogeswar’s state sports school at the Sports Complex in Guwahati Horu hojai. The school which is the first of its kind in the state will be built at a sprawling 20 bigha of land where theoretical and practical coaching will be provided at six prescribed sports (athletics, [[boxing]], [[association football]], [[Weight training|weightlifting]], [[archery]] and [[taekwondo]]). Sonowal said that sport is a tool through which peace can be brought in society. Sonowal announced that the government would formulate a policy to integrate it with culture and education so that sportspersons pursuing training are not deprived of academic and moral values. After stating that sport is the way to become energetic and fit, Sonowal urged upon the sporting talents to be disciplined, dedicated and hard working. He also said that to develop quality in the sporting ambience in the state, the Assam Government decided to set up Sports University at Chabua in [[Dibrugarh district]], a Sports College in [[Kokrajhar]] and Sports School in [[Guwahati]] so that the sporting talents of the state could be properly nurtured. Bhogeswar Baruah was present during the occasion and said that he was happy to see a sports institute after his name. "Definitely, it’s a happy feeling for me. I hope the school will help in nurturing a host of young talents who will be able to represent the country in the long run."<ref name="Gani">{{Cite web |last=Gani |first=Abdul |date=2019-02-26 |title=Assam to have sports school after its first Arjuna awardee Bhogeswar Baruah |url=https://thebridge.in/athletics/assam-sports-school-first-arjuna-awardee-bhogeswar-baruah/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=thebridge.in |language=en}}</ref> | |||
Baruah also served as the brand ambassador of Khel Sivasagar Khel of a sports initiative planned under the Soulful Sivasagar campaign adopted by Sivasagar [[Deputy commissioner|DC]] M.S Lakshmipriya in 2020.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=News |first=Ne Now |date=2019-02-25 |title=Assam CM lays foundation stone of Bhogeswar Baruah Sports School |url=http://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam-cm-lays-foundation-stone-of-bhogeswar-baruah-sports-school.html |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=NORTHEAST NOW |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Gani"/> | |||
== Legacy == | |||
Baruah has been praised for being the first player to receive gold at a national level. Balendra Mohan Chakravarty said "Baruah is the greatest sportsperson Assam has ever produced. He is a pioneer too, being the first athlete from Assam to bring a gold medal for the country from an international meet."<ref name=":3" /> A biography of Baruah concluded that he has been able to achieve success by acknowledging a lot of hardship and sacrifice by showing his skills through concentration and perseverance which has made him an icon for the new generation. The biography also stated that Baruah’s hard life struggle proved that having duty, courage concentration intelligence and determination to reach the goal cannot hinder any factor from moving forward. The biography said that Assam will always be proud of Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah’s achievement as an Assamese.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Baruah himself considers the best compliment to be from [[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."<ref name=":3" /> | |||
On the 36th Abhiruchi Sports day, Chief Minister [[Sarbananda Sonowal]] said on twitter: | |||
{{Blockquote|text="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."|author=Sarbanada Sonowal, 3 September 2019}}In 2021, the [[Government of Assam|Assam government]] under [[List of chief ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]] [[Himanta Biswa Sarma]] announced that Baruah’s birthday would be celebrated as sports day in Assam.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CM Himanta Biswa Sarma hands over Sports Pension for 2021-22 |url=https://way2barak.com/cm-himanta-biswa-sarma-hands-over-sports-pension-for-2021-22/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=Way2Barak |language=en-US}}</ref> On 3 September 2021, at the Sports Pension Awards Ceremony, Baruah was one of the 13 recipients which Sarma formally handed over pension sanction letters to. [[List of governors of Assam|Governor]] [[Jagdish Mukhi|Jagadish Mukhi]] and ministers [[Bimal Bora]] and [[Parimal Suklabaidya|Parimal Suklabadiya]] were also present at the ceremony. Sarma said that Baruah’s life and achievement would continue to inspire upcoming generations.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
== Honors and Awards == | |||
Over Baruah’s career, he has received numerous awards:<ref name=":0" /> | |||
* [[Arjuna Award]] (1966) | |||
* Lachit Award (2015) | |||
* Bir Chilarai Award (2019), presented by Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal<ref>{{Cite web |last=News |first=Ne Now |date=2020-02-09 |title=Government committed to empower the people of Assam: Sonowal |url=http://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/government-committed-to-empower-the-people-of-assam-sonowal.html |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=NORTHEAST NOW |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bureau |first=Pratidin |title=Bhogeswar Baruah To be Conferred with Bir Chilarai Award |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/latest-assam-news-breaking-news-assam/bhogeswar-baruah-to-be-conferred-with-bir-chilarai-award |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=Pratidin Time |language=en}}</ref> | |||
== Books featuring Bhogeswar Baruah == | |||
* ''Golden Race: Bhogeswar Baruah’s autobiography,'' (2019), a biography written by Narayan Bordoloi | |||
== See also == | |||
* [[List of Arjuna Award recipients (1961–1969)]] | |||
* [[List of National Sports Award recipients in athletics]] | |||
== References == | == References == | ||