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Bhupen Hazarika’s 100th birth anniversary celebrations kicked off; Modi to attend
Bhupen Hazarika, a recipient of India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, sang songs of the soil, the people, Assam’s culture, and the rest of Northeast
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday attend the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of poet, singer, composer, and filmmaker Bhupen Hazarika in Guwahati. The Assam government on Monday began the year-long celebrations.
Hazarika, a recipient of India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, sang songs of the soil, the people, Assam’s culture, and the rest of Northeast. Born on September 8, 1926, Hazarika passed away on November 5, 2011, at the age of 85.
Programmes were being held across the state and other parts of the region on Monday, highlighting Hazarika’s life, contributions, and connections to inspire today’s generations.
Speaking at an event at Hazarika’s memorial in Guwahati, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that his songs were not just for entertainment. “They were a revolution, the hopes of the destitute, the pleas of those without any rights, and about the dreams of the common man.”
Sarma said the state government is planning events for the next 12 months to celebrate the birth centenary. He urged the public and organisations to do their bit to show love and respect for the man known as the Bard of the Brahmaputra. Sarma called Hazarika a global citizen who was concerned about the Assamese people. “The state government will have a series of events through the next 12 months celebrating the life of Bhupen Da,” said Sarma.
He added that the centenary celebration events will also be held in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Delhi, where Hazarika lived. “A book and a museum on his life are planned...to conserve and spread his songs, writings, and other creations and to take them to the global stage.”
