Our Founding Members
Leadership, expertise and commitment.
A collective of leaders driving KEF’s mission with passion, expertise and commitment.
Devajit Saikia
Advisor
Devajit Saikia is the Advocate General of Assam, Secretary of the BCCI and an accomplished sports administrator and former first-class cricketer. A former Assam wicketkeeper-batsman, he was part of the East Zone U-17 team that won the All-India championship in 1988–89. His enduring contribution to sport spans the Gauhati Town Club, Assam Cricket Association and BCCI, with a strong focus on grassroots development, sporting infrastructure and institutional governance.
Larsing L. D. Sawyan
Advisor
Larsing L. D. Sawyan is a leading entrepreneur and football administrator from Meghalaya, best known for his transformative role in the growth of Shillong Lajong FC and Northeast Indian football. Former President of the Meghalaya Football Association and Vice-President of the AIFF, he has championed grassroots talent, youth development and professional football opportunities across the Northeast. His contribution has made him one of the region’s most influential figures in sports development.
Manoj Gogoi
Advisor
Manoj Gogoi is a celebrated wildlife conservationist and animal rescuer from Kaziranga. Having rescued over 6,000 wild animals, he has dedicated his life to wildlife protection, rescue and rehabilitation, particularly during Kaziranga’s annual floods. A passionate naturalist and conservation educator, he works closely with local communities to promote coexistence and protect the unique biodiversity of Kaziranga.
Mriganka Hazarika
President
Mriganka Hazarika is an entrepreneur and hospitality professional with interests in tourism, destination development and sports promotion. A passionate advocate of endurance and adventure sports, he envisions positioning Kaziranga as a premier destination for endurance events, bringing together sport, tourism, conservation and community participation. His entrepreneurial experience and commitment to sports-led destination development drive his vision for promoting Kaziranga and the Northeast on a national and global platform.
Pratibhu Dutta
Secretary
Pratibhu Dutta is an endurance sports enthusiast, marathoner and cyclist with a strong passion for long-distance running and cycling. An active promoter of endurance sports, he is committed to encouraging fitness, participation and a stronger sporting culture in Assam and the Northeast. His experience and passion for marathon and cycling events add an important athlete-driven perspective to the Kaziranga Endurance Foundation.
Deepjyoti Baruah
Treasurer
Deepjyoti Baruah is an entrepreneur and Director of Uttarayan Developers, with a strong interest in sports and community development. He is associated with Maharana Athletic Club, Guwahati, and actively supports the promotion and development of sports in Assam. His entrepreneurial experience and commitment to sports and community initiatives add valuable support to the vision of the Kaziranga Endurance Foundation.
Samrat Ashim Das
Founding Member
Samrat Ashim Das, a senior financial services leader with 29+ years of proven track record in transforming technology and operations functions into strategic, innovative & industry leading business, most recently as a Cofounder of two Fintech organization in US & India – democratizing financial services. Highly skilled at managing complexities / risks across multiple products and functions and driving risk/reward trade.
Samrat’s last corporate responsibility was as Chief Operating Officer ( COO) at PNBMetLife, responsible for Technology, Operations, Customer Service, Administration, Digital & Information Security. Few large corporates where Samrat was senior leader are, Tata AIA, Fidelity, SBI Life, PwC and Pfizer. He is an active travel enthusiast and keeps himself 360 degree relevant by running marathons.