Judges Field

Nov. 17: When Bordoloi Trophy returns to its cradle — Judges Field — tomorrow after half a century, a fortunate fraternity of organisers, players and spectators will relive a golden chapter of Assam’s football history.

Call it coincidence or destiny, it had to be the diamond jubilee year for history to repeat itself and remind one of how “Lokapriya” Bordoloi Trophy was. Character, craze, or connect, it had all the elements to justify why soccer was the first sport then, and not cricket.

The last match at the historic playground was in 1961 when Mysore District Committee emerged champions and Assam Rifles Soccer Team the runners-up.

Veteran sports organiser Pulin Das, who was in the thick of things when the tourney originated, said: “Footballor proti manuhor eta jagoron asil tetia (There was awareness about the game among people at that time). My friend, Nurul Amin, the secretary of the Nowgong Sports Association, had initiated the Independence Cup at Nowgong (now Nagaon) in 1949. Inspired by him, in 1952, we decided to commemorate a football tournament in the name of (chief minister) Gopinath Bordoloi.”

“Lokabandhu Dr Bhubaneswar Borooah had donated Rs 250 for the trophy. I went to Calcutta to get the trophy made. There was a craze for the beautiful game then and as Judges Field was centrally located, people from Uzan Bazar, Chandmari, Rehabari and Santipur thronged the venue in large numbers,” the 94-year-old added.

Premadhar Sarma, veteran sports organiser believes the good days of football are back.

“While public participation in those days was at a level which can never be equalled, I believe, shades of that connect would be noticed as people assembled for the inaugural match of the 60th Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Bordoloi Trophy. I have been associated as a referee and later with the Guwahati Sports Association (GSA) as organiser. The association was formed in 1958 and since then has been conducting the meet.”

Ganesh Rai, ASEB coach, believes the meet has not lost its sheen despite the absence of foreign teams. “I believe this year’s Bordoloi Trophy has not lost its sheen despite the absence of foreign or teams from outside the Northeast. The local teams are as good and sometimes even better than some of those featuring in the I-League. The historic meet at the venue will be special.”

Assam Football Association secretary Ankur Dutta said the return to Judges Field will bring nostalgia, especially among those who were associated with the tournament from the outset.

“At the same time I would love to see Bordoloi Trophy in a new and improved package that woos people from the homes. Professionalism will definitely give the meet its rightful place,” he adds.

“Gauhati Town Club had organised the tournament from 1952 to 1957. We are very happy the tournament has returned to where it originated. So, we must all celebrate the occasion,” said Devajit Saikia, secretary of Gauhati Town Club.

“It will offer a great opportunity for people to gather and witness the game. Given the fact that the popularity of football had taken a beating over the decades, Bordoloi Trophy’s re-entry into its birthplace is a move in the right direction. Back in our days, the meet was like a festival and the spirits were high. I just hope one gets to see glimpses of that tempo,” says Udayaditya Bharali, a former GSA vice-president.

“I used to represent Amateur Club, and believe me, almost all the residents of Machkhowa where the club is based used to come over to Judges Field. The venue being an open one, the organisers should ensure that the crowd remains clear of the players,” Jatindra Kumar Bora, a former football player, said.

Current players, too, are raring to go. Said Sanjeeva Rongpi, who would be representing Green Valley in this year’s edition: “All these years, I have only heard how big the event was. Now, to be actually playing in the inaugural tie at the historic ground will be special.”

As photographer Tarani Barman, who was a part of the euphoria, aptly put it: “Tickets per match cost 25 paisa in the fifties, but the ecstasy was simply priceless.”