Guwahati, October 29: In a historic development, Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, General Manager of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), inaugurated a Traditional Sports Centre at the heritage site of Old Amingaon Railway Station on October 27, 2026.
Developed through the NF Railway Sports Association (NFRSA), the first-of-its-kind facility transforms a historic railway platform into a dedicated centre for indigenous games, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Vikas (development) alongside Virasat (heritage).
The Traditional Sports Centre will promote traditional sports of Assam and the Northeast, including Dhopkhel, Tang-Guti, Peng Khel, Kori-Khel, Roshi-Tana, Mukna and Yubi Lakpi of Manipur, as well as Insuknawm of Mizoram. Rooted in the region’s diverse communities, these games celebrate physical agility, community bonding and survival skills. However, they face declining participation amid modernisation, digitalisation and the growing dominance of mainstream commercial sports.
NFRSA plans to organise traditional sporting activities at the centre and facilitate coordination with organisations working to preserve indigenous games. The facility aims to provide a dedicated space for their revival and enable state- and national-level competitions and events.
Speaking on the occasion, the General Manager appreciated NFRSA’s initiative to preserve the historic station through its active use by children and sportspersons. He expressed confidence that the centre would safeguard the heritage site for future generations, revive traditional games and help nurture players capable of competing at the national level.
Old Amingaon Railway Station: A Historic Gateway to the Northeast
Established in 1908, Old Amingaon Railway Station was a principal gateway to Guwahati and the Northeast in pre-Independence India. Its single platform, approximately half a kilometre long and 25 metres wide, served as a major economic and trans-shipment hub on the erstwhile Assam-Bengal Railway.
The historic Assam Mail brought tea planters, missionaries, traders, freedom fighters and other travellers to the region, who crossed the Brahmaputra by ferry.
The station is closely associated with India’s freedom movement. Mahatma Gandhi, fondly remembered as Bapu, travelled through it during his visits to Assam in 1921, 1926, 1934 and 1946. During his 1921 visit in connection with the Non-Cooperation Movement, he was accompanied by Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phukan, whose translations of Gandhi’s speeches inspired thousands.
British and American military personnel also passed through the station during the Second World War.
How the Amingaon-Pandu Train Ferry Connected the Railway Networks
The Eastern Bengal Railway’s Amingaon-Pandu train ferry connected the northern and southern banks of the Brahmaputra, carrying entire trains and goods on specialised barges. The ferry system handled up to 250 wagons daily in each direction and linked railway networks extending through the Kaunia-Dharla route towards Lalmonirhat in erstwhile East Bengal.
The station received its last train on June 7, 1963. Rail traffic commenced over the Saraighat Bridge on June 8, 1963, bringing the ferry-linked railway era to a close.
By bringing traditional sports to this historic setting, Northeast Frontier Railway seeks to preserve both the Northeast’s railway legacy and its indigenous sporting traditions.
