Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain was enlisted as a Trainee Deputy Superintendent (DySP) in Assam Police on Wednesday with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joining the award ceremony, expressing the trust that she will be inducted as part of the Indian Police Service (IPS). on time.
An emotional Borgohain thanked the police department and said she will do everything to bring more glory to the state.
Speaking on the programme, Sarma said Borgohain winning bronze in boxing at the Tokyo Olympics last year was perhaps one of the most glorious moments in the state’s sporting history.
Considering the pugilist’s age, she should be able to one day get a top job in the Assam Police Service (APS) and then join the IPS cadre, claimed Sarma.
Read also | Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain appointed DSP in Assam Police
“We recommend the brightest APS officers for the IPS cadre. She will automatically qualify for it, provided she graduates in the meantime,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister urged the 24-year-old to set a shining example of equal dedication to her other responsibilities as well.
Apart from her monthly salary, Lovlina will receive an additional Rs 1 lakh per month for her training expenses, he said. If it becomes difficult for her to continue training at Patiala in Punjab, the state government may consider bringing her an international level trainer to Guwahati, he promised.
“We will also soon name a road in Guwahati after Lovlina,” Sarma said.
Referring to the enlistment of other sportsmen in the Assam Police since last year in line with the new state policy, Sarma said sports should no longer be considered an extracurricular activity.
“In the past, parents discouraged their children from playing sports after a certain age because there was no guarantee of professional success even if someone excelled in a discipline. We want to change that. We want to prove that sport itself even can be a career.” “, he asserted.
Apart from emphasizing the recruitment of sportsmen in the Assam Police, the government is also working on increasing sports quotas in other departments, Sarma pointed out.
He said priority was being given to building sports complexes in different parts of the state, including a Rs 25 crore stadium named after Lovlina in the Sarupathar assembly constituency.
“Coaching, training and identifying talent is essential. The government is focusing on identifying talent early and giving them scholarships to advance these athletes,” the CM said.
Sarma, who launched a crusade against the threat of drugs after taking office in May last year, noted that sports can be an alternative to engage young people and deter them from drug addiction.
The CM said each police station has been asked to form its own football and volleyball teams, which can then compete in district-level competitions. He urged district administrations to ensure the timely organization of sports competitions at the school level once the pandemic situation subsides.
Borgohain, in his brief speech on the occasion, said: “It is a momentous day for me as I am joining the Assam Police Force.”
“I will do my best in the boxing ring and bring more glory to my state and my people,” added winner Khel Ratna as her eyes filled with tears.
The pugilist made history last year by becoming the first sportsman from Assam to win an Olympic medal. She won the bronze medal in the welterweight category at the Tokyo Games last year.
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