The National Games in Asom

It’s been a few years since we heard that the National Games would take place in Guwahati and along with it, came the speculations- can Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and him team make it happen? Is it possible to even consider that such an event is feasible in a dysfunctional state like Asom? Of course Manipur had done it earlier and they probably have the highest rebel groups in North-East hence, equally if not more dysfunctional than us. I have to be honest here. The games being postponed several times, personally I gave up hope, went ahead and booked my filming schedule months in advance which I couldn’t change. My loss, as my shoot collided with the games.

All went well. The National Games indeed take place, ULFA kept their promise and the state did a fantastic job of hosting it. I badly wanted to be there cheering for our team. I have done that many a times as a child when Deuta was intensely involved with the Bordoloi Trophy. Cinema and Sports have been around in our house as far as I can remember. We had players living with us as family members and the endless parties Maa hosted before our table tennis team left for the Nationals. I guess it also reminded me of my Badminton days. The unity, the power and of course the pride I had (by the way still do), when I represented the state once in Mini Nationals. Today, I think I will lose a game to an amateur but then, that’s another story.

I could empathise with the participants, their joy of not just representing the state but also being the host team and if that is not enough, appearing in the top three rankings, not to mention the pressure to win in “home grounds”. This confirms that regardless of us being stamped as a race of “lahe lahe” Asom won gold in speed races like swimming and cycling apart from the other sports. Despite carrying on army operations in some corner of the state, we are still capable of putting up international standard opening and closing ceremonies.

Watching glimpse of the opening ceremony in the telly, I literally had tears in my eyes and a strange sensation ran through my body when Monalisa Barua Mehta (Mithoo ba, as she is know to the family) held the torch. Now, she is one contribution Deuta had made single-handedly to the state and to the country. Those few minutes felt as if I was living every moment through her. Just like a lucid dream going back to yesterdays, where every now and again, Deuta used to carry me with him to Kanaklata Stadium where I was fed strawberry milkshakes out of see-through plastic cans and got pampered like a living doll by his colleagues and players…the summer training camps, the boiled eggs and stale toasts for breakfast in that dilapidated canteen behind the then RG Barua Guest House, the half-fan saloon where most of us got the same crew cut (be it men or women) the national and international coaches for table tennis and above all, the bubbling charged up atmosphere to play and win for the state. Stories Deuta used to fill us about his collaborations with his friend and mentor R G Barua, his experience in Seoul and Los Angels Olympics where Maa also accompanied him and she literally had to open the twist of her saador to show some inquisitive crowd as to how it is worn, the souvenirs that still stand in our living room as memories of those bygone years. Last week, I silently observed Deuta open his wardrobe and brush his old blazer that said Phani Sharma- Vice President (Indian Olympic Association). Being an excellent table tennis player during his youth (his peers still talk about his forehand) I can only wonder the emotions he must have been through during the past two weeks. Strangely, he never pushed us to play any game but gave us the atmosphere and perhaps he takes solace in the fact that all his four children represented the state in different games.

Anyway, coming back to my filming, my last interview was with the Chief Minister and being given passes to watch the closing ceremony by the man himself I thought it might be a good idea to let my hair down after the roller coaster exciting filming experience we had. Sitting among the 30,000 odd spectators and watching a colourful presentation I could feel the buzz around me. I am sure some of them might have been victims of terror or at least have been effected by it to a certain extend at some point of time but it felt like they were impatiently waiting for a new renaissance to flush away their pain which they found in the games.

Undoubtedly, Tarun Uncle deserves all the pat on his back for providing the platform to the state but we must take a moment out to thank and appreciate the hard work put in by the people who implemented it and turned it into a success.

My sincere thanks and appreciation to the labours, contractors, builders of the brand new stadiums, to the Assam Police, Guwahati City Police- constables to IGP Mallik who himself had been a victim of terror years ago) , all IPS officers, Security Forces, Players and their parents/family for their sacrifices and dedication, Nagaland for their first participation, Organisers, Coaches, Cooks, Cleaners, School Children and Celebrities for their splendid performances, Media, Commissioner Sports and National Games (IAS Officers) Director of Sports Dhruba Hazarika, Naba Kumar Das (IAS), ACC, Pradyut Bordoloi, Hemanta Biswa Sarma and their colleagues who came together to made it happen. I sincerely apologise if I have left out anyone which I sure must have. Nevertheless, your input is valued and admirable. Last but not the least I request the players of our state to continue marvelling in their respective sports in the coming years and take advantage of the wonderful facilities they have now, which we never had years ago.

This certainly proves that if we, the people of Asom want to achieve success, we can, provided we put our mind, heart and hands together unanimously. Like many reading this piece, it too makes me proud to be part of the same soil.