Gaurav Gogoi Writes to PM Modi Seeking Bharat Ratna for Zubeen Garg

New Delhi: Member of Parliament from Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, has formally urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer the country’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously on Zubeen Garg, the artist who holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Assam and the Assamese community.

According to a press release issued by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), in his letter to the Prime Minister on Wednesday, Gogoi stated that the “untimely and tragic demise” of Zubeen Garg plunged not only Assam but the entire North East and the nation into deep grief.

Describing Zubeen Garg as a towering cultural figure of the region, Gogoi wrote that his influence extended far beyond the boundaries of Assam to national and international levels.

Gogoi mentioned that he has already raised the issue on several platforms. He also recalled that on December 3, 2025, he raised the demand in Parliament for the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on Zubeen Garg.

Earlier, on December 4, 2025, he also wrote to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar seeking details and clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding Zubeen Garg’s death while he was abroad participating in an official cultural programme.

In his communication to the Prime Minister, Gogoi highlighted Zubeen Garg’s unparalleled contribution to music, stating that his role in taking the Assamese language and culture to national and international audiences was extraordinary.

He noted that Garg’s music transcended regional boundaries and became a lasting part of India’s composite cultural heritage.

Gogoi further said that the overwhelming wave of emotion witnessed across Assam and the North East following the artist’s passing reflects Zubeen Garg’s immense popularity and cultural significance.

He expressed the view that the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on Zubeen Garg would not merely honour an individual artist, but would also serve as a fitting national recognition of India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

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