Retired Teacher, 85, Still Runs 10K Daily After Training 1,000

At 85, when most people settle into quiet routines, Andhuram Das laces up his running shoes and hits the track for a 10-kilometer run.

The retired teacher from Jagiroad, Assam, recently won bronze medals in both the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter races at the 31st Assam Inter District Masters Athletic Championship. He competed in the 85+ age category, proving that passion for sports doesn't fade with time.

But his medals tell only part of the story. For nearly six decades, Andhuram has quietly shaped the sporting landscape of Morigaon district, one student at a time.

In 1965, he attended a government fitness course in Mirza, Assam, where trainers from across India taught different sports. That's where he first discovered Kho Kho, a fast-paced traditional Indian sport that was virtually unknown in the Northeast.

The game fascinated him immediately. He loved its strategy, quick movements, and scoring system, so he brought it back to his students at Jagiroad Higher Secondary School.

At first, kids weren't interested. Football and other familiar games dominated playgrounds, and Kho Kho seemed strange and new.

But Andhuram persisted, coaching students during PT classes without any extra pay. By 1995, a new generation of children finally started embracing the sport he loved.

When he retired from teaching in 1999, he didn't stop coaching. He continued training children privately at the local playground, dedicating his mornings to nurturing young athletes.

The Ripple Effect

Across his coaching career, Andhuram has trained more than 1,000 students in Kho Kho and Kabaddi. Many went on to compete at district, state, and national levels, including Meena Bordoloi, who won gold for India in Thailand in 2008.

His influence extends beyond his direct students. Sulen Bordoloi learned Kho Kho from Andhuram in the 1990s and later trained his own daughter, Dhritileena, who now competes nationally in the sport.

"Based on Sir's coaching, I trained my daughter," says the 44-year-old. His daughter has represented Assam in championships across India, from Bhopal to Chandigarh.

Manik Teron, another former student who competed at district level, credits Andhuram with bringing Kho Kho to the entire region. "It was Sir who introduced Kho Kho in Morigaon district," he says.

In January 2026, Assam's governor visited Andhuram's home to honor him under the Amar Mati Amar Nayak initiative, which recognizes people who have positively shaped their communities. "I was so happy and grateful," Andhuram says.

Today, at 85, he maintains a rigorous training routine of running and walking, covering his daily 10 kilometers with the same dedication he brought to teaching generations of young athletes. His students, and now their children, carry forward the sporting legacy he built one practice session at a time.