By Prarthana Hazarika
Guwahati, Sept 10: Sunil Gavaskar has a special reason to remember Guwahati — and it is not just cricket.
For the legendary former India captain, the city is a collection of memories built over decades: playing cricket at Nehru Stadium, returning years later as a commentator at Barsapara, enjoying the distinctive taste of Assam’s fish and, above all, admiring the greenery that he feels has survived Guwahati’s rapid transformation.
Gavaskar revealed this personal connection during the launch of the Guwahati International Marathon 2027 on Thursday, sharing some of his fondest memories of a city that has occupied a special place in his sporting journey.
One of those memories is unmistakably Assamese — masor tenga.
Gavaskar spoke fondly about his love for the traditional tangy fish curry and the distinctive taste of fish from the Brahmaputra. The local flavour, he suggested, is something that has stayed with him long after his cricketing visits to Assam.
But food is only one part of Gavaskar’s Guwahati story.
What appears to have left an even deeper impression is the city’s greenery.
Gavaskar recalled how much Guwahati has developed over the years, particularly as its sporting infrastructure has expanded. Yet, despite that growth, he pointed out that the city has managed to retain much of its greenery.
That continuity, for Gavaskar, is part of what makes Guwahati different.
His own journey through the city reflects that transformation.
He recalled playing at Nehru Stadium, when the venue was at the heart of Guwahati’s cricketing landscape. Decades later, he returned to the city in a very different role — as a commentator at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
From Nehru Stadium to Barsapara, Gavaskar has witnessed Guwahati’s sporting evolution from close quarters.
And now, he wants to add another chapter to that association.
The Guwahati International Marathon 2027, an idea conceptualised by Gavaskar, will be held on February 7, 2027. The event was officially launched on September 10, 2026, in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Gavaskar.
Olympic champion P.V. Sindhu has been named the marathon’s brand ambassador, giving the event a powerful national and international sporting face.
The marathon will have multiple categories, opening participation to professional runners, amateur athletes, fitness enthusiasts and the general public. The race will begin from the iconic Judges Field, while registrations are scheduled to open on September 11.
But the larger ambition is to make the marathon much more than a one-day race.
The event is being positioned as an opportunity to showcase Guwahati to the world — its sporting culture, natural beauty, hospitality and potential as a destination for major international events.
The marathon could also provide a boost to tourism and strengthen the city’s brand value, bringing runners and visitors from different parts of India and potentially from overseas.
For Gavaskar, though, Guwahati is already much more than a destination on a sporting calendar.
It is a city remembered through its flavours, its landscape and its cricketing landmarks.
There is the taste of Brahmaputra fish and masor tenga. There are memories of walking onto the field at Nehru Stadium. There is the experience of watching Guwahati evolve into a city capable of hosting international cricket at Barsapara.
And through all those changes, Gavaskar believes one thing has remained — the greenery of Guwahati.
That personal recollection gave Thursday’s marathon launch an added dimension.
The man who once came to Guwahati to play cricket is now helping create a new sporting tradition for the city.
From the cricket field to the marathon route, Sunil Gavaskar’s Guwahati story continues — with masor tenga, Brahmaputra fish and the city’s green soul still firmly part of the memory.
