GUWAHATI, June 11 - Bidyut Kumar Goswami may not be familiar for the present generation but it was a household name in the 1970s and 80s who till date is the lone player from Assam to represent India in Davis Cup.
Born to Justice Parbati Kumar Goswami and Joymoti Goswami of the Silpukhuri area here, Bidyut Goswami was the national tennis champion in the year 1979. Earlier in the 1974-75 season, he was a member of the Indian Davis Cup team and also represented India in the Tashkent Asian Games in the year 1974.
After completion of his schooling from Don Bosco School, Panbazar, Guwahati, he did his pre-university in the Cotton College and graduation from St. Xavier�s College under Calcutta University. During 1970s he was considered as a leading player in the Indian tennis circuit with several titles in his kitty. In the international tournaments also he achieved success with few crowns during that time.
Bidyut later joined Colombia University, New York as the head coach in November 1982. With his able coaching and guidance to the players, the University men�s team had been able to dominate the national rankings for 37 long years. The Lions, as the Colombia team is called, won 13 Ivy League titles including five straight crowns from 2013 to 2018 under the coaching of Goswami. The team also enjoyed an encouraging record during his tenure. He also was presented the Wilson/ITA National Men�s Coach of the Year award this year. He retired from his post recently.
