Assam - The Purbottar

04 Apr

Assam Loses Football Great Gilbertson Sangma

riya EditorAssam

Assam football legend Gilberton Sangma passed away at the age of 70 on Friday morning at his residence in Kahilipara, Guwahati. Regarded as the finest footballer from Assam, he spent his entire domestic career with his State and Assam Police. A significant highlight of his career was in 1981 when he scored the winning goal for Assam Police in the Bordoloi Trophy final against Dempo SC. Condolences poured in from notable figures, including Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, who praised Sangma’s contributions to Indian football and his influence on Northeast youth. During his 17-year career,…

04 Apr

Congress Targets Assam Govt, Vows to Dismantle ‘Syndicate System’ if Elected

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi has intensified his party’s attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging corruption in the state and calling for a formal investigation into the Chief Minister’s alleged links with businessman Shyamkanu Mahanta. Speaking at an election rally in Sarupathar in Golaghat district, Gogoi addressed party workers and local residents who had gathered in support of Congress candidate Jiban Chutia. In his speech, he raised concerns over what he described as a growing nexus between political power and select business interests in the state. He said the allegations surrounding Shyamkanu Mahanta should be…

03 Apr

Verdict of Assam polls to decidefuture of Assamese people: Sonowal

Paromita EditorAssam

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal intensified the BJP campaign in Upper Assam, addressing a series of public rallies and meetings in Margherita, Majuli, and Khowang in support of party candidates Bhaskar Sharma, Bhuban Gam, and Chakradhar Gogoi.Addressing a large gathering at Inthem in Margherita, Sonowal urged people to vote for development, peace, and prosperity in the upcoming polls on April 9, emphasising the BJP-led NDA’s vision of building a strong, selfreliant Assam as part of a developed India.Speaking at the rallies, Sonowal said the election is not merely a politicalcontest but a defining moment for the Assamese people. “This is not…

03 Apr

Six-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Killed by Father on Train in Assam; Accused Arrested

Paromita EditorAssam

A six-year-old girl was allegedly killed by her father inside a train at Silanibari station in Assam’s Lakhimpur district on March 3, officials said. The incident occurred around 9:15 am inside a general coach of the Dekargaon–Murkongselek Express. According to a Northeast Frontier Railway spokesperson, the accused has been arrested. Personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) reached the spot soon after the incident and took him into custody. After recording statements of eyewitnesses and completing necessary formalities, the train departed from Silanibari station at around 10:58 am, the spokesperson added. The motive behind the…

03 Apr

BJP Will Secure 9 To 11 Seats In Barak Valley, Claims Assam CM

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would secure “9 to 11 seats” in Barak Valley in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections.Speaking to mediapersons, Sarma reiterated confidence in the party’s broader prospects, projecting between “90 and 100 seats” across Assam, while underlining Barak Valley’s crucial role in the BJP’s overall electoral strategy.The Chief Minister claimed that the party expects significant gains in Barak Valley while asserting that its organisational strength and sustained grassroots outreach have resonated with voters.“BJP is certain to win the Hailakandi seat while in Algapur, that there is considerable…

03 Apr

Congress Pitches ‘Secured Assam’ Agenda, Blends Welfare Promises with Governance Reforms

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Congress has released its manifesto for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, laying out a broad roadmap focused on governance, identity, and development. The document highlights 11 key priority areas and repeats the party’s earlier announced “five guarantees”. The manifesto was released at an election rally in Bokajan in Karbi Anglong district in the presence of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi and other senior leaders. According to party leaders, the manifesto covers a wide range of sectors including governance reforms, protection of identity, healthcare, infrastructure, industrial growth, agriculture, rural and urban development, and climate-related challenges. The party has…

03 Apr

Male-Dominated Field, Limited Youth Entry Mark Assam Assembly Elections 2026

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The 2026 Assam Assembly election has once again highlighted a clear gender gap in electoral participation, with women making up only a small share of the total candidates in the fray.Out of 722 candidates contesting across 126 constituencies, only 59 are women, according to affidavit data analysed from Election Commission records. This means women account for just about 8 per cent of all candidates, a figure that remains unchanged from the 2021 Assembly elections.Despite a reduction in the total number of candidates this time following delimitation, the proportion of women has not improved. Male candidates continue to dominate the electoral…

03 Apr

Against All Odds: Debi Daimari’s Journey to the Podium

riya EditorAssam

Debi Daimiri, a 28-year-old wrestler from Dineshpur village in Assam, exemplifies resilience and determination in sports despite her challenging past. Orphaned at age seven, she was raised by her uncle and aunt, taking on odd jobs to support her wrestling training. Her hard work culminated in winning a silver medal in the women’s 62kg category at the Khelo India Tribal Games in Chhattisgarh. Debi began wrestling in 2022 at the Khelo India Centre after switching from powerlifting and arm wrestling, thanks to encouragement from coach Anustup Narah, who assisted her in finding a job to afford training costs. Balancing work…

03 Apr

Premadhar Sarma Remembered for Sporting Legacy in Assam

riya EditorAssam

Assam held a memorial meeting on Thursday to honor the late Premadhar Sarma, a pioneer in sports journalism and a significant figure in sports development in the region. The event, titled "A Tribute to Premadhar Sarma," took place at the Gauhati Town Club Auditorium and was co-organized by the Guwahati Sports Association (GSA), Gauhati Town Club (GTC), and the Assam Sports Journalists’ Association (ASJA). Sarma's career was multi-dimensional, involving playing, refereeing, commentary, organization, and journalism. He started as a player in the B Division League in Guwahati and played a pivotal role in the establishment of various sports associations throughout…

03 Apr

Cong Fueled Instability, NDA Brought Progress: Sarbananda Sonowal

riya EditorAssam

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal criticized the Congress party during campaign rallies in Sadiya and Naharkatia, claiming that the public's enthusiastic response signifies a strong repudiation of the Opposition's "politics of neglect, division and inaction." He asserted that while Congress thrived on chaos, the NDA has fostered peace and progress, and urged voters to provide a decisive mandate to protect Assam’s future from past mis-governance. Sonowal emphasized the need for development over the Congress's "legacy of underdevelopment," recalling how areas like Sadiya had been neglected. He claimed that Congress's imposition of laws weakened indigenous rights in favor of illegal immigrants, which…