The RG Baruah Memorial Awards 2026 were presented in Guwahati to four eminent personalities for their contributions to sports, entrepreneurship, journalism and culture.

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• Dipankar Bhattacharjee received the award for sports excellence.
• Abhijit Barooah was honoured for entrepreneurial excellence.
• Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty received the award for journalism.
• Seema Biswas was honoured in the culture category.

The awards were presented by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota and The Assam Tribune Group Managing Director Babita Rajkhowa.

Who was RG Baruah?

Radha Govinda Baruah, popularly known as Singhapurush, is remembered as one of the important institution-builders of modern Assam. His contribution extended beyond journalism.

• He founded The Assam Tribune in 1939, which later became an important media institution in Assam and the Northeast.
• He played a significant role in the development of Nehru Stadium and sports infrastructure in Guwahati.
• He was associated with efforts that led to the establishment of the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre in 1970.
• He contributed to the promotion of Assamese sports and culture, including the wider public presentation of Bihu.
• His work reflected the idea that journalism, sports, culture and economic development could together contribute to institution-building.

Significance of the Awards

The memorial awards are significant because they connect individual achievement with Assam’s larger social development.

The 2026 awardees represent four different areas of public life:

• Sports: Dipankar Bhattacharjee’s recognition highlights the role of sporting institutions in nurturing discipline, talent and youth development.
• Entrepreneurship: Abhijit Barooah’s award highlights the contribution of enterprise and employment generation to economic development.
• Journalism: Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty’s recognition underlines the importance of credible journalism and public discourse.
• Culture: Seema Biswas’s honour recognises the role of creative arts in preserving and projecting cultural identity.

A RG Baruah Fellowship in Cultural Studies was also awarded to Cotton University PhD scholar Dhriti Moni Mahanta for her research on the changing landscape of Uzanbazar Ghat.

Exam Hook: Key Takeaway

The RG Baruah Memorial Awards highlight how journalism, sports, entrepreneurship and culture can contribute to Assam’s social and institutional development.

One-line wrap: The RG Baruah Memorial Awards celebrate individual excellence while keeping alive a wider legacy of institution-building in Assam.