Radha Govinda Baruah: A Man with the Midas Touch

The story of turning a filthy area (essentially a dumping ground of garbage and animal carcasses) known as Morakhali on the eastern side of the present B Barooah Road into a sports complex with multiple facilities shall forever speak about his monumental contribution towards sports in the north eastern region. The idea of a stadium with a large playground, a swimming pool, an indoor stadium, tennis courts and a guest house (with a restaurant catering to the requirements of the players, visitors and also local food buffs) was something that only a visionary like Radha Govinda Baruah could have conceived and executed. 

Radha Govinda Baruah was a person who could think and see ahead of his times. He was successful in all the ventures that he undertook and therefore it is not an exaggeration to say that the Almighty had gifted him with the Midas Touch. He indeed had an inherent and God given gift of enhancing and benefitting everything that he touched. To this visionary man 'impossible' was an alien word and on several occasions during his lifetime he had proved that an indomitable spirit can defeat every challenge and obstacle.

Incidentally, the first Bihu Sanmilan at Latasil playground was the brainchild of a team of organisers where RG (as he was fondly referred to ) was a prominent member. He had been instrumental in organizing classical musical conferences in Guwahati, Jorhat and Dibrugarh during the nineteen sixties. However, RG Baruah is most acknowledged for his yeoman contributions in terms of uplifting the sports scenario of our state. In this context, an interesting event can be mentioned.

An exhibition football match was played on July 2 1955 between Gauhati Town Club and Gauhati Club with the objective of collecting funds for Gauhati Swimming and Rowing Club. The captain of the Town Club was the then Chief Minister of Assam, Bishnuram Medhi and that of the Gauhati Club was Saraju Prasad who was the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court.

Most players were above 35 years of age and came from various walks of life. Very interestingly, both the line referees were women. These unique factors made the event truly interesting and a large curious crowd milled in to witness this match. The fundraising was a success. The Town Club emerged the winner in a 2 to 1 goal difference. Although the exact amount of fund collected through this unique football match was not ascertained (in the public domain) the ball used in the play was auctioned for Rs 2100 , which was no mean amount in those days.

The story of turning a filthy area (essentially a dumping ground of garbage and animal carcasses) known as Morakhali on the eastern side of the present B Barooah Road into a sports complex with multiple facilities shall forever speak about his monumental contribution towards sports in the north eastern region. The idea of a stadium with a large playground, a swimming pool, an indoor stadium, tennis courts and a guest house (with a restaurant catering to the requirements of the players, visitors and also local food buffs) was something that only a visionary like Radha Govinda Baruah could have conceived and executed.

RG and his team had to ward off many obstacles in the process. Procuring land, developing the land to make it suitable for a playground and the financial aspects of the stadium project were no mean feat.

The team managed to eventually acquire a plot of 35 bighas in the 'Morakhali' area. The financial requirement was rupees fifty lakhs, which was a huge sum of money during the late fifties. The National Sports Council of Assam (NSCA) was the pioneer doner and had donated Rs 10,000. In order to avoid breaks in the progress of the project it is believed that RG had loaned out a sum of seventy eight thousand (to the committee) free of interest.

A novel and interesting way of fund raising were the exhibition wrestling matches. This too was RG Baruah's idea. He met the famous wrestler Dara Singh in Calcutta and with his help arranged for two consecutive series of wrestling matches at the Church Field. This wrestling idea worked wonders and led to phenomenal success in terms of fund collection.

After the success of the fundraising idea through wrestling, venture funds started pouring in from various government, semi government and private sources.

Finally, on a rainy afternoon of 16 July 1962 the first full fledged stadium and the first sports complex of the northeast region Nehru Stadium was inaugurated in the presence of a massive gathering of public and distinguished dignitaries. The grand stadium was declared open. However, the story of the opening ceremony of the stadium shall be incomplete without the mention of a unique football match. This was essentially a friendly football match played between the Chief Minister's team of eleven and Chief Justice's team of eleven. On a rainy afternoon a history of sorts was inked in the newly prepared playground of a newly constructed stadium in the presence of a huge crowd that braved the heavy downpour to witness the football match. The football match was unprecedented.

RG Baruah was person who was born to uplift the prestige of the people of this region. His contributions to sports, print media, Assam Tea (he provided active leadership in the promotion and marketing) and the development of Guwahati city are widely reckoned. The idea of establishing a Tea Auction Centre at Guwahati was his idea and he fulfilled a long felt need in this regard. He was the first person who had insisted on a master plan of the city. He was then the Mayor of the GMC.

Eventually this man succumbed to ill health. It can be said without a shadow of doubt that his second term as a Mayor would have worked wonders for the city.

His birthday was celebrated all over the region on 15 July. We need one or more RG Baruahs to tide over the situation that the city of Guwahati is in at present.

By: Bhaskar Phukan

bhaskarphukan67@gmail.com

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