Honouring Maestro’s Magic: Tributes kick off Bhupen Hazarika centenary celebrations in Assam

Guwahati: The chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said the current govt is honouring Dr Bhupen Hazarika in unprecedented ways, including conferring the Bharat Ratna, renaming Dibrugarh Airport after him, and issuing a commemorative coin — all under the BJP-led govts at the Centre and in Assam.The BJP has described Hazarika as a “nationalist cultural icon” and will host a special event at its state office on Monday to celebrate his birth centenary. Notably, Hazarika contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate from Guwahati.“From bestowing the Bharat Ratna to renaming Dibrugarh Airport and issuing a commemorative coin, our govt is honouring Bhupen Da like never before,” Sarma wrote on X on Sunday, sharing a video featuring Samar Hazarika, the maestro’s younger brother and noted singer, expressing his thoughts on the eve of the year-long celebrations.Sarma said preparations by state govt are in their final stage. Samar Hazarika called the initiatives “commendable,” adding, “The Govt of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna, and now this grand celebration of his birth centenary stands as another remarkable tribute. This is a momentous occasion.”Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to release a Rs 100 commemorative coin in Hazarika’s honour at the main event in Guwahati on Sept 13.

“For the first time, an Assamese artist is being honoured on such a grand scale across the nation,” Samar Hazarika said, expressing the family’s joy at the Prime Minister’s participation in the centenary celebrations.State govt has planned year-long events, starting with a special programme on Monday at Hazarika’s memorial in Jalukbari, in the presence of governor Lakshaman Prasad Acharya and CM Sarma. Simultaneously, the BJP will felicitate veteran musicians and senior artists who once shared the stage with Hazarika at its state office function.Chief BJP spokesperson Kishore Upadhyay reflected on Hazarika’s ideological leanings, saying, “Though politically influenced by socialist and progressive thought, he firmly believed in nationalism and Indian identity. In 2004, he contested as a BJP candidate during a time when the party was working to strengthen its base in Assam. His was concerned about Assam’s identity and illegal infiltration.”On Sept 13, the grand centenary event at Khanapara will feature a performance by over 1,000 artists rendering 14 of Hazarika’s immortal songs in the presence of the PM. State govt will also honour 1,100 individuals who shared close ties with the music legend during his lifetime.