Guwahati: The 107th birth anniversary of legendary sports personality, organiser, and journalist Pulin Das was observed with the Pulin Das Memorial Lecture at India Club, Guwahati, on Saturday. The event was organised by the Pulin Das Memorial Committee to honour the life and contributions of the doyen of Assam’s sporting world.
The occasion was graced by former international shuttler and Executive Director of Oil India Limited, Madhurjya Barua, as the chief guest, who delivered a memorial lecture on “Role of Corporate Entities in Developing the Sports Ecosystem in Our Country with Specific Reference to Assam.” Eminent social worker and Padma Shri awardee Ajoy Dutta attended the event as the guest of honour.
The programme began with floral tributes to Pulin Das, followed by the memorial address. Recalling his personal association with Pulin Das, Barua described him as a guiding force who profoundly shaped his early sporting years. Highlighting the stagnation in sports development in Assam, he stressed the need for greater corporate participation and professionalism at the grassroots level.
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A former junior national champion and once India’s top-ranked men’s shuttler, Barua urged the government to integrate coaches and technical officials into skill development initiatives to strengthen the sports ecosystem. He also lamented that Pulin Das, despite his monumental contributions, did not receive due recognition, and appealed for a collective effort to preserve his legacy.
Echoing similar sentiments, Padma Shri Ajoy Dutta noted that Pulin Das dedicated his life to social and sporting causes but was inadequately appreciated.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Kalyan Kumar Das, secretary of the Pulin Das Memorial Committee, while Nayan Prasad, president of the committee, anchored the programme.
