Major National Sports Awards Conferred on Personalities from Assam
Award / Honor | Recipient Name | Sport / Discipline | Year Conferred | Major Achievement & Contribution |
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (India’s highest sports honor) | Lovlina Borgohain | Boxing (75kg / 69kg) | 2021 | Olympic Bronze Medalist (Tokyo 2020), World Champion (2023), Asian Champion. |
Arjuna Award | Bhogeswar Baruah | Athletics (Middle Distance – 800m) | 1966 | First person from Assam to win an Arjuna Award; Asian Games Gold Medalist (1966 Bangkok). |
Monalisa Baruah Mehta | Table Tennis | 1987 | Renowned national champion and pioneer of table tennis in the Northeast. | |
Jayanta Talukdar | Archery (Recurve) | 2006 | World Cup Gold Medalist and Olympian archer. | |
Hima Das | Athletics (Sprinting – 400m / 200m) | 2018 | “Dhing Express”; first Indian athlete to win a gold medal at an IAAF World U20 Championship. | |
Lovlina Borgohain | Boxing | 2020 | Recognized for international achievements prior to receiving the Khel Ratna. | |
Nayan Moni Saikia | Lawn Bowls | 2022 | Gold Medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (Women’s Fours). | |
Dron Acharya Award (Coaching Excellence) | Sirish Jayaswal | Table Tennis | 1980s | Legendary table tennis coach who trained top national players from the region. |
Padma Shri (Sports Category) | Hima Das | Athletics | 2019 | Awarded for exceptional contribution to Indian athletics. |
Lovlina Borgohain | Boxing | 2022 | Conferred for Olympic and international boxing achievements. |
Prominent National & Regional Sports Personalities from Assam
Athlete / Sports Icon | Sport / Discipline | Key Honors & Landmarks |
Radha Govinda Baruah | Sports Administration & Media | Known as the “Architect of Modern Sports in Assam”; instrumental in building Nehru Stadium, Guwahati. |
Dr. Tao Ao | Football | First captain of the independent Indian Olympic Football team (1948 London Olympics); played for Mohun Bagan. |
Riyan Parag | Cricket | First cricketer from Assam to play for the Senior Indian National Cricket Team (T20I debut 2024); IPL star for Rajasthan Royals. |
Uma Chetry | Cricket | First female cricketer from Assam to be selected for and represent the Senior Indian Women’s National Cricket Team. |
Shiva Thapa | Boxing | Multiple-time Asian Boxing Championship medalist and two-time Olympian. |
Tayabun Nisha | Athletics (Discus Throw) | First woman athlete from Assam to win a national track-and-field medal (1971). |
Anu Baruah | Swimming | Pioneering swimmer who earned national recognition for the state in aquatic sports. |
Elvis Ali Hazarika | Swimming | Long-distance swimmer; first from the Northeast to cross the North Channel and English Channel relay. |
Assam State Sports Honors & Commemorative Days
- Abhiruchi Sports Day (September 3): Celebrated annually across Assam on September 3 to mark the birthday of Bhogeswar Baruah (Assam’s first Arjuna Awardee). Promising state athletes are felicitated with the Abhiruchi Sports Award on this day.
- National Sports Day (August 29): Annual felicitation of state-level champions, coaches, and sports organizers under the Sports and Youth Welfare Department, Government of Assam.
Olympic & Asian Games Medallists & Participants from Assam
Sportsperson | Discipline | Event / Competition | Medal / Achievement | Major Honors / Awards Won |
Lovlina Borgohain | Boxing (Welterweight / Middleweight) | Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games | Bronze Medal (First-ever Olympic Medallist from Assam) | Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2021), Arjuna Award (2020), Padma Shri (2022) |
2022 Asian Games (Hangzhou) | Silver Medal | |||
Bhogeswar Baruah | Athletics (800m & 4x400m Relay) | 1966 Asian Games (Bangkok) | Gold Medal (800m) | Arjuna Award (1966) (First Arjuna Awardee from Assam) |
1970 Asian Games (Bangkok) | Silver Medal (4x400m Relay) | |||
Hima Das | Athletics (400m, 200m & Relays) | 2018 Asian Games (Jakarta) | Gold Medal (Mixed 4x400m Relay) Gold Medal (Women’s 4x400m Relay) Silver Medal (Women’s 400m) | Arjuna Award (2018), Padma Shri (2019) |
Nayanmoni Saikia | Lawn Bowls | 2022 Asian Games (Hangzhou) | Participation / Asian Level Champion | Arjuna Award (2022), Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist (2022) |
Shiva Thapa | Boxing | Asian Amateur Boxing Championships | 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze Medals (Record 6 Medals) | Arjuna Award (2016) |
2012 London & 2016 Rio Olympics | Olympian (Youngest Indian boxer at 2012 Olympics) | |||
Jayanta Talukdar | Archery (Recurve) | 2006 Asian Games (Doha) | Bronze Medal (Team Recurve) | Arjuna Award (2006) |
2010 Asian Games (Guangzhou) | Bronze Medal (Team Recurve) | |||
2012 London Olympics | Olympian | |||
Uma Chetry | Cricket | 2022 Asian Games (Hangzhou) | Gold Medal (Senior India Women’s Team) | First female international cricketer from Assam |
Dipankar Bhattacharya | Badminton | 1992 Barcelona & 1996 Atlanta Olympics | Olympian (Reached pre-quarterfinals in 1992) | Pioneer of Olympic Badminton from Assam |
Taya bun Nisha | Athletics (Discus Throw) | 1982 Asian Games (New Delhi) | National Representative | First woman from Assam to break a national athletics record |
Ankushita Boro | Boxing | Asian Youth Boxing Championships | Silver Medal | AIBA World Youth Gold Medalist (2017) |
Key Historical Milestones
- First Olympic Medallist from Assam: Lovlina Borgohain won a Bronze medal in women’s welterweight boxing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
- First Asian Games Gold Medalist: Bhogeswar Baruah won the 800m Gold at the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games.
- First Olympian from Assam: Dipankar Bhattacharya represented India in Badminton at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.