The Cosmos Club of Abhayapuri is going to celebrate its 50th year of foundation in November this year with various programmes.I had seen the club functioning from its previous location in a hut in front of Abhayapuri College Point , by the side of a hotel (Oasis Hotel perhaps on the MG Road side) in early 1980s.And I had seen also how the club shifted to its present permanent location near our locality (present Lachit Nagar area of the town) in mid 1980s.
The club was established in 1975.The club is bearing a registration number 777/80-81.The suffix suggests that it was registered with concerned department of Govt Of Assam in 1980-81.I heard somewhere that initially the club might have been known as Sankar Sangha and within two years ,the club changed its name to Cosmos Club.I thought it might be due to the suggestion of a few club members coinciding with the visit of Cosmos Club of New York with Pele to then Calcutta to play a friendly football match(as per their tour to Asia) at Eden Garden against Mohan Bagan in 1977.
But one of the senior most member of the club,Mr.Pradip Kumar Das clarified ,"We wanted to be big,therefore Cosmos(the Universe) was selected as it's name".
It was almost 50 years back memories fade..I hope there will be extensive information on the Cosmos Club's history , it's past and present achievements and its vision for future in black and white in the club's souvenir/other printed materials to be published on the occasion of its 50th year celebration.
Our family has a sentimental attachment with that club.So naturally, I have developed a keen interest on its activities right from my school days .But it was the cricket team of Cosmos Club in1980s that had attracted me the most.We know well that 1983 is a historic year for the country as far as one day international cricket is concerned.And the cricket team of Cosmos Club in 1983 too won the Goalpara Cricket League Championship at Goalpara. What A coincidence!!! Plus A Historic Milestone for Cosmos Club!!!
Courtesy:Utpal Nath & Gopal Medhi of Cosmos Club
I will certainly write about the cricket players of Cosmos Club in the second part of this series in detail.
I could not watch them playing in big matches as I was away at Rangjuli with my parents and studying in school there in 1980s as my father was posted there as In charge Senior Medical & Health Officer of then Rangjuli Primary Health Centre.At Rangjuli, I enjoyed watching Rangjuli's cricket team playing with visiting teams from near by places viz Goalpara,Darangiri,Dhupdhara etc.An Interesting fact I like to mention here. A cricketer of Cosmos Club who was then studying in Goalpara College, went to Rangjuli to play for a Goalpara cricket team against Rangjuli ( in 1980-81 season).He is none other than my uncle Mr.Dibakar Dev Sarma, now one of the senior most member of Cosmos Club.
But whenever during winter after our annual examination, I came to Abhayapuri for a visit to our ancestral home, I used to watch Cosmos Club playing friendly practice matches amongst themselves at Abhayapuri College ground.And I could remember Late Sachin Dev Barman, Pradip Kumar Das, Golap Medhi, Rakesh Tiwari, Rajesh Tiwari, Dhajen Das, Ratan Ray(the wicket keeper), Late Pranab Das, Alok Das, Biswajit Das, Late Samir Das, Mahesh Sandak, Hironmoi Deka,Anup Kumar Das, Dhajen Das, Late Dibyendu Banerjee,Manohar Roy & others were playing.I could still remember......
With Best Wishes
VIVE LA COSMOS CLUB,ABHAYAPURI Gautam Kumar Sharma(GK)(VU3WTI)
(Abhayapuri)(Assam)(India)
