Sports in Assam

Assam is a land full of sports loving people. Both traditional and contemporary games are played by the people of Assam. As Assam is blessed with nature all around so the mighty Brahmaputra, Subansiri, the hills and mountains in Assam act as source of sports of Assam. For adventure sports, Assam offers sport lovers with river rafting, boat racing, angling, para sailing and mountaineering options. The state government also encourages in the development of different sports of Assam. Let us know in details about sports in Assam.

Assamese people are very enthusiastic about traditional games and sports. The traditional games of Assam have been famous since the time of the Ahom rule in Assam. Ancient buildings like Rang Ghar at Sibsagar in Assam were built specifically for witnessing sports by the royalty. The traditional games of Assam like Dor (Running), Tarual Khel (Fencing), Kaar khel (Archery), Rosi Tona (Rope Pulling), Hatur (Swiming), Nau Khel (Boat Racing), Hoi Kobadi (Kabaddi), etc are always played by the youth.

Sports Associations in Assam

The government of Assam gives all the emphasis on sports in the state. There are specific sports associations and  departments to look after different sports in the state. They are:

Sport & Youth Welfare Department of Assam

The Department of Sport & Youth Welfare created in 1988-89 works with the objective of bringing about all round development in the field of Sport & Youth Welfare. The department implements different schemes for the development of Sport & Youth Welfare in the State. Regular tournaments in the State Level are organised by it. The Department also gives emphasis on scouting of talents and gives financial assistance annually to the NCC Authorities for conducting various programmes.

For more information on the department, click here

Assam Olympic Association

The Assam Olympic Association is the primary authority for organization and control of Games and Sports in Assam. The Assam Olympic Association has been organizing the State Games and is proud enough to have conducted the 33rd National Games very successfully in Guwahati. Assam Olympic Association have 38 State Level and 25 District Sports Association as affiliated unites who control respective games and Sports in the state and district level.

Contact:
Assam Olympic Association
Deshabhakta Tarun Ram Phukan Indoor Hall
Nehru Stadium, R.G.Baruah Sports Complex
Guwahat-781007, Assam
Phone: 0361 246 0839

Guwahati Sports Association
Address: Nehru Stadium, R.G. Baruah Sports Complex, Ulubari, Guwahati, Assam- 781007
Phone: 094350 42734

Assam Badminton Association
Contact: R.G. Barua Sports Complex, Ulubari, Gandhi Basti, Sarania Hills, Guwahati, Assam
Phone: 094350 44738

JKA Shotokan Karatedo India
Contact: GNRC Road, Dispur, Guwahati, Assam
Phone: 094351 90697

Football in Assam

Assam is a very enthusiastic state when it comes to football. People of Assam are much football freaks. Details of football in Assam are:

Assam Football Association

The Assam Football Association (AFA) is one of the 36 Indian State Football Associations affiliated to the All India Football Federation with its headquarters at Nehru Stadium, Guwahati. AFA's premier competition is the Bordoloi Trophy and top division football league is the Assam State Premier League, which is the other important competition.

Assam State Premier League

Assam State Premier League (ASPL) is the top division football league in Assam organised by Assam Football Association. ASPL started in 2008 with Assam Rifles winning the first season.

Football Clubs in Assam

NorthEast United Football Club

NorthEast United Football Club is an Indian Super League football franchise in Guwahati, Assam. Founded on 15 August 2014, the club is playing in the inaugural season of the Indian Super League. Owned and operated by Bollywood actor John Abraham and I-League club, Shillong Lajong, the club represents the 8 states of India - Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram.

Gauhati Town Club

Gauhati Town Club is a football club based in Guwahati, Assam. Established in 1906, the club participates in the I-League 2nd Division in which they have been participating for two seasons.

Green Valley Football Club

Green Valley Football Club is a football club from Guwahati, Assam, formed in 2010. The club went straight into professional football and got accepted into the I-League 2nd Division, the second tier of football in India.

Other than these football clubs in Assam are Assam Police Blues football club, ASEB football club, Assam Rifles football club, Oil India football club, Morning Star Club football club, PHERC football club, SAI football club etc.

Cricket in Assam

Like football people are also very crazy about cricket in Assam. The state has a freaky and enthusiastic cricket lovers. Details of cricket in Assam are:

Assam Cricket Team

The Assam cricket team is a Ranji Trophy team based in Assam. Run by the Assam Cricket Association, the players of the team are Anup Ghatak, Syed Zakaria Zuffri, Rajesh Bora, Gautam Dutta, Arlen Konwar, Abu Nechim Ahmed, Zaved Zaman and Subhrajit Saikia.

Assam Cricket Association

The Assam Cricket Association is the governing body of the Cricket activities in Assam. It is affiliated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The current office of the ACA is in the Nehru Stadium, Guwahati.

Contact:
Assam Cricket Association
R.G. Baruah Sports Complex, Bhubaneswar Barua Road, Nehru Stadium, Ulubari, Sarania Hills, Guwahati, Assam 781007

Sports Personalities of Assam

Assam has produced some of the best sportsmen in the country. The names of Dipankar Bhattacharjee (Badminton Player), Monalisa Baruah Mehta (Table Tennis Player), Jayanta Talukdar (Archery) and Shiva Thapa (Boxer) shine in the sports arena of Assam and the nation as well. Important sportspersons from Assam are:

Dipankar Bhattacharjee

Dipankar Bhattacharjee is a star Badminton player from Assam. The sportsperson has participated in many International tournaments representing India, including Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics. He has been Indian National Badminton Champion three times and twice runner-up.

Jayanta Talukdar

Jayanta Talukdar is a star Indian archer. He was part of the Indian team that won the silver medal at the 2004 Junior World Championships. An Arjuna Awardee, Talukdar followed up with a gold medal at the FITA Meteksan World Cup in 2006, becoming the first Indian archer to win gold at the event.

Shiva Thapa

Shiva Thapa is an Indian boxer from Assam. Shiva Thapa participated in the 2012 London Olympics and was the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics. He is the third Indian to clinch Gold at the Asian Games.

Monalisa Baruah

Monalisa Baruah Mehta is a renowned table tennis player of Assam. An important Assamese sports personality, Baruah received an Arjuna Award in 1987.

Holicharan Narzary

Holicharan Narzary is an Indian footballer who plays as a forward for FC Goa in the Indian Super League.

Stadiums in Assam

Indira Gandhi Stadium and Nehru Stadium are the important stadiums in Assam. The other stadiums located in Assam are:

Indira Gandhi Stadium
Sarusajai, Assam

Nehru Stadium
Guwahati, Assam

Jorhat Stadium
Jorhat, Assam

Mangaldai Stadium
Mangaldai, Assam

Nurul Amin Stadium
Nagoan, Assam

Satindra Mohan Dev Stadium
Silchar, Assam

Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi AC Indoor hall
Sarusajai, Assam

Dr Zakir Hussain Aquatic Complex
Sarusajai, Assam

Maulana MD Tayabullah Hockey Stadium
Bhetapara, Assam

Shooting Range
Kahilipara, Assam

Deshabhakta Tarun Ram Phukan Indoor stadium, RGB Sports Complex

Sonapur Sports Complex
Sonapur, Assam

Rupnath Brahma Velodrome & Pavilion
Sonapur Assam

Rudra Singh Sports Complex
Dispur, Assam

Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex
Amingaon, Assam

Chachal Tennis Complex
Chachal, Assam

SAI Complex
Paltan Bazar, Assam

Ganesh Mandir Indoor Hall
Kahanapara, Assam

Adventure Sports of Assam

Assam is a wonderful state for adventure sports. The mountains, rivers and the natural surroundings of Assam make it an adventurous place for adventurous sports activities. Sports like river rafting, boat racing, angling, mountaineering and para sailing are the adventure sports activities one can be engaged in Assam.

River Rafting in Assam

Adventure lovers will find Assam the heaven for river rafting. The mighty Brahmaputra river is the ultimate destination of river rafting in Assam. River rafting is a wonderful activity on the Brahmaputra and the Subansiri River. Rafting on Brahmaputra offers tourists with the opportunity of exploring the Brahmaputra.

Boat race is also an important sport of Assam. Boating is one of the important sports of the local citizens and of the tourists as well. Boat racing could be enjoyed on the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries like the Manas,  Jia Bhorali and Kapili.

Every year the Assam Tourism Development Corporation and the Assam Boat Racing & Rowing Association organize the Brahmaputra Beach Festival for the promotion of cultural festival in Assam. 

Angling or fishing is a wonderful sport in Assam. The Brahmaputra river and its tributaries offer one with the opportunity of angling and fishing. The Manas river, Jia Bhorali and Kapili are the natural habitat of fishes. Subansiri River also offers tourists with the opportunity of Angling. It is famous for the mahseer. On can have the best fishing of Mahseer in the Subansiri river.

Assam is blessed with nature all around. The state comprises of both hilly and plain areas. There are hillocks, mountains and valleys of innumerable numbers in Assam. The lofty mountains in Assam provide one with the opportunity of mountaineering and trekking. Tourists can also opt for mountaineering and trekking in the north of Cachar Hills and Karbi hills.

Para Sailing is an important sport of Assam. This offers one to float in the air with balloons. Para Sailing is the brainchild of the Assam Tourism Department Corporation. Tourists can enjoy para sailing in the North Guwahati area of Assam.

Hang Gliding

If you are interested in hang gliding then Assam also has the facility of this sport. The ideal place for hang gliding are Kamakhya Hills and hills around Kaziranga.