NEW DELHI, July 25
The Assam Olympic Association (AOA) on Thursday organised a special Signature Campaign to send best wishes to Khel Ratna awardee and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, as she aims for a second consecutive medal at the Summer Games in Paris.
The event witnessed scores of people signing on a flex wall and sending their best wishes to the ace boxer. The event was attended by state cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika, the Arjuna Awardee former table tennis player Monalisa Barooah Mehta, Lakhya Konwar, the general secretary of AOA and Hemanta Kumar Kalita, the secretary general of the Boxing Federation of India, among others dignitaries including sportspersons, support staff and others.
Speaking on the occasion, Monalisa Barooah Mehta, said “Lovlina Borgohain has given Assam its first Olympic medal, an elusive honour for the people of the state. She is our pride and we must stand behind her completely as she fights at the top stage of world sports, the Olympics. I extend my best wishes to Lovlina and wish her all the best for a wonderful experience at the Olympics.” “I am also happy that the government, both at centre and state, are extending all kinds of support for the benefit of the athletes and this has helped improve the sporting atmosphere in the country,” said Mehta, a member of the union sports ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell, a dedicated body created to assist the athletes who are selected under the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme.
The event also witnessed felicitation of Sanjana Baruah from the state who became the first Indian to become a Jury Member in the Shooting segment in the upcoming Paralympics. Renowned swimmer Elvis Ali Hazarika was also felicitated when Hazarika shared his plans to cross the Gulf of Gonsk in Poland, known for its freezing water, as he aims to become the first Indian to successfully complete this. During the programme, an audio video presentation by the Assam Olympic Association was shown to the audience to showcase the journey of India in the Olympics as well as highlighting prospects of India in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris.
Another audio video presentation on Lovlina was also shown which shared her journey on becoming a world class Olympian and sportsperson from Assam. Speaking on the occasion, Lakhya Konwar said, “After a century, Paris is organising the Olympics, which makes this apex event of sports, a historic moment. It is our good luck that a girl from Assam, Lovlina Borgohain, is competing in this games as she aims to improve her performance in the Tokyo Olympics.”
“I must also congratulate another girl from Assam, Pranamika Bora, who is in the support staff of the Indian contingent as a coach,” added Konwar.
A total of 117 athletes will represent India in 16 disciplines with an aim to return with a richer haul than the seven medals won in the Tokyo edition three years ago.
