A Correspondent
SARUPATHAR: BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan from Sarupathar LAC, who is supervising the construction of a motorable road to Olympian Lovlina Borgohain's village, on Sunday proposed setting up of a sports academy in the pugilist's name in Dhansiri Subdivision under Golaghat district. Phukan said that he has sent a proposal in this regard to the state administration.
"Sarupathar has a lot of potential in sports. We have budding footballers, boxers and athletes. Hence, we have sent a proposal to the state administration for establishing a sports academy in Lovlina Borgohain's name near her village to nurture talent," said Phukan. Borgohain (69 kg) defeated former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei on July 30 to ensure at least a bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics.
Further the MLA said, "We have already identified 40 bighas of government land in Naharbari village, only 2 km from Lovlina's birthplace, for the sports academy". He added he will speak with officials concerned for arranging funds for the project.
Meanwhile, the pugilist's father Tiken Borgohain, a small-time businessman, was excited to hear about the proposal and thanked the MLA for the initiative. Later, Biswajit Phukan said that the Public Works Department (PWD) has been working overtime to make the 3.5 km stretch of road from Barpathar to Borgohain's native Baromukhia village in Dhansiri Subdivision under Golaghat district will be motorable in the next 3-4 days. The MLA also added, "The condition of the muddy road leading to Borgohain's village becomes very bad during monsoon. After her last match, a spell of heavy rain lashed the area and the condition of the road worsened. I discussed the matter with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and he instantly ordered the construction of a motorable road, which is going on at a brisk pace, the first phase of the road will get ready by the time Borgohain returns to India from Tokyo. She will not feel any jerk while coming to her home by car and the road will be black-topped in the second phase after the monsoon. This is a gift to her from all of us," the MLA said.
The boxer's father said that the villagers had earlier complained several times about the poor condition of the road but nothing had happened. "I am happy that a motorable road is being constructed because of my daughter. I am proud of her. The muddy road would have been non-commutable this monsoon," said the boxer's father. Speaking about the pugilist's preparations for the remaining matches, Tiken Borgohain said that his family members are speaking to the boxer every day over video calls and she is very hopeful of her performance. Tiken was ecstatic at the success of his youngest daughter in the Tokyo Olympics so far, and hoped that she will make Assam and the country proud by winning a gold medal in the sporting extravaganza. Lovlina's father Tiken also added, "We speak in a video conference call with all our three daughters. We don't know much about the technicalities of boxing, so we just wish Lovlina the best. Her mother is more concerned about her health and enquires whether she is having food on time," he said.
Lovlina started her basic before Bhabananda Lahon, a sports teacher of her school, Prasanta Das who teached her Muay Thai and as a kick-boxer before Sports Authority of India coach Padum Boro, while scouting for talent in Golaghat district, noticed her. She then moved to Guwahati from her village to realise her boxing dreams.
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