sportspeople-from-india

"Many young students today may not have seen Baruah in his prime, but this celebration allows them to witness and draw inspiration from his journey"

"He remains an inspiration for many aspiring athletes and his contribution to Assam’s sports scenario is unparalleled. (Source)"

"All sportspersons are in the villages. We have to search and nurture them. Rural sports is the only way to find real talents, otherwise we won't get it"

"We've never been short of sportspersons with the potential to shine on a global platform. In fact, I would say, the northeast can produce world-beaters, and this has been proved in some areas. In Assam, too, there are several talented players and they have achieved glory, but only due to their individual effort. The system needs to be changed to help these players reach their goals."

"Has the government made anyone a sports person? Government is not identifying and picking up talents from the ground. When someone shines, only then the government comes into the picture. That is what is happening nowadays."

"If there is no coaching, how will we produce sports persons? If any sports event takes place, the kids are just taken there to participate. If there is no training or camp, how will our children progress? If there is any tournament, children are called and taken to participate - this is Assam's sports policy."

"His dedication to sports remains an everlasting beacon for Assam's youth."

"His legacy continues to inspire our athletes."

"His legacy will always shine in Assam's sports arena, inspiring every athlete to bring unity and pride to our state."

"How do I describe my feelings? How does anyone describe these emotions? It is like a big emptiness. Perhaps, it is same emotion-filled empty feeling a father experiences the day after the marriage of his daughter"

"Being a man who loves to be in the midst of sporting activities, I am suddenly in a vacuum after all the hurly-burly of the past 10 days. It will take a few days to return to normal life."

"There will be some who will say that outsiders have played a big role in winning the medals, but let me clarify that it is only partially true. I would also like to add that there is nothing wrong in hiring good people. What it has done is that it has given our boys the necessary confidence to compete with the best and believe in themselves."

"There is no harm in dreaming. After all, the National Games at one point of time was also a dream. We have made it happen. We can all raise a toast for a job accomplished."

"It is sad to say there is no production of sportspersons anywhere in Assam. Earlier, we used to organise camps to attract new talent, but it is not happening anymore."

"Definitely, it's a happy feeling for me. I hope the school will help in nurturing a host of young talents who will be able to represent the country in the long run."

"Hima is the future star and age is with her. So she should focus on the training only."

"But something changed when the final started. I led from start to finish to win with a new Asian Games record (1.49.4). I was an Asian champion. It really was an unbelievable moment as I came from a state not many Indians knew much about those days."

"I didn't know what to say as I was engulfed by incredible sadness. It was too little, too late"

"Officials' indifference and selection bias have been the biggest issues in our country."

"Facing hurdles is part of an athlete's life"

"Only a sportsperson can understand the potential talent, constraints and feelings of a fellow sportsperson. In such a case, former players should be enlisted as consultants in the sports department so upcoming sportspersons can benefit from their experience."

"The authorities should scout for young talent in rural areas and groom them into world-class players. I think it is quite possible given the pool of potential star players we have here."

"Today, we celebrate State Sports Day, in honour of an exceptional sportsman and Assam's first Arjuna Awardee, Shri Bhogeswar Baruah. He started off as a torch bearer of sports in Assam which has inspired many athletes over the years"

"The legacy of Shri Bhogeswar Baruah will continue to inspire every Indian to dream big, play with passion and bring glory to the nation."

"His trailblazing spirit inspires generations of athletes."

"His insightful guidance within the realm of athletics will undoubtedly be a valuable asset for us."

"In childhood, I was physically very weak and often used to get beaten by the stronger boys in the class. I was studying 9th class at that time. Rajesh Taylor, a former national coach, was working as the coach of the Rajasthan Sports Council. I started training under him. His training center was around 5 kilometers from my home."

"My parents never supported me to play Wushu. Simultaneously, my surroundings also were not sympathetic. Still, I ignored all these odds and continued training under Rajesh sir. I began to win state-level competitions in Jaipur and Rajasthan. Still, my parents did not change their minds. Even before my first competition outside Rajasthan in 2010, they strongly objected and were not allowing me to go to Bhopal to take part in that West Zone Wushu championship. But after I returned with a bronze medal the scenario changed and I also decided to make my career professionally with Wushu."

"Rajasthan Government has come forward noticeably, supporting Wushu a lot. More than 50 Wushu players in this state have been provided jobs in the last five years. It is a solid boost for the players who are learning the game now."

"The one moment that stands out, and I rate it bigger than World No 1 rank, is the medal I won at the London Olympics, 2012 and the Indian national anthem being played in the background. I can’t express the feeling I was going through at that point of time."

"Actually, I am a very strong player. Mentally very tough. I just don't give up very easily. I make my opponent work very hard."

"I don't know but from my childhood I had the habit to win whatever I am participating in...in any event. It is not just badminton. I was actually a very aggressive kind of person. I used to play all the sports. So whatever sport I used to play and I used to see someone else getting more points than me ... I just couldn't stand it. .. Even I have to do that."

"I am a professional athlete and pressure is a part of every professional sport. It will be a dream come true for me if I could defeat the Chinese on my way to a medal, so if there’s pressure, there’s also incentive."

"I believe at the international level, it is fitness that counts the most. That’s because when you are competing at that level, everyone already has the skills; the player who wins is the player whose mental and physical fitness is better than his/her opponent. So yes, at the international level, fitness is absolutely paramount."

"My job is to produce results that match their expectations, and that has been a strong motivating factor for me."

"I am set to give my best. Yes, to win a medal for India in the Olympics is my dream. But I will go step by step; I will give my hundred percent and leave the rest to God."

"When I see myself moving on the court, I can see that there is a little bit of a struggle and when things will open up automatically, the results will come."

"I have put in so much of hard work all these years, and to see those years of hard work finally bearing fruit now as me being No. 1, is very special. But with this the responsibilities are many fold as expectations keep on rising. However, I have never shied away from giving my best and I will continue to do so in the coming years."

"My mom and dad are the two strong pillars of my life."

"I am friendly with all the players of badminton but on court our attitude change as we prefer not to lose because of these relations."

"I hope there will be many more Saina Nehwals and Sania Mirzas."

"The aim has always been to play for the country and bring laurels. It remains the same."

"It's really tough to make it to the Paralympic Games"

"Arjun Nair is one you need to look out for, he's a massive talent. I saw him play NSW versus Queensland schoolboys and I said to Freddy [NSW state talent manager David Freedman]: 'I don't care what he's doing, he's going to be playing in my [NSW] 19s [team]'. For a guy to be able to bowl like that, turn it both ways legally ... I would not be surprised if he was here training with the big boys in the next couple of years."

"Our selection policy is pretty clear. We pick the best players and we have a bias towards players we think might play for Australia in the future. It's probably a big call this early in Arjun's career but he's a very, very talented cricketer. A very good bowler and a very good batsman as well. He's a little bit different, he spins the ball both ways and is quite hard to pick out of the hand and a very, very good competitor."

"He likes to take wickets, he likes to score runs and he likes to be in the game -- he likes to be the match winner. So, he fits very well into the mould of a NSW cricketer. We like to keep the game moving and play attacking cricket and Arjun is certainly one of those cricketers."

"My goal is to play for Australia in all three formats of the game"

"I saw him (Sunil Narine) play in the Indian Premier League and thought, 'this looks pretty different', so I watched him bowl on YouTube and tried it in the backyard. I've trained to the point where it's coming out well now."

"So many thought processes. When I'm not playing or training I'm thinking 'what more can I do to improve'. I'll train most days, I'm very hungry for wickets and runs and that's been the main key to what I've done. I think mental preparation is the key to succeeding."

"He's one of the most exciting prospects coming through from the Thunder region and he's in our academy as well as being our development rookie this year. He still has a lot to learn in taking the next step to play in the Big Bash but he's certainly on the right trajectory."