My journey to meeting Bhupen Da

Dr Ajanta Baruah Das

(The author is a former CMO, DHS, Govt of NCT Delhi)

The name Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika fills every Assamese heart with pride and gratitude. After Srimanta Sankaradeva and Sri Sri Madhabdev, when we think of Bhupen Da, our minds overflow with joy, for we are blessed to be born in the same land—our beloved Asomi Aai—that gave birth to such legends.

Since childhood, I had nurtured a deep wish to meet Bhupen Da. I grew up listening to his immortal songs that carried the soul of Assam. I still remember a story my cousin Ramada once shared in Nagaon, where my maternal uncle lived. Bhupen Da had come for a function there. Ramada described him vividly: “Ajanta, I saw Bhupen Da today! He wore an onion-coloured shirt and started the programme with the song ‘Meghe gir gir kore’. The crowd went wild with excitement, cheering and clapping endlessly. People rushed forward just to touch him—he looked like a real American sahib!”

That story only deepened my curiosity and admiration. As a young schoolgirl, I secretly promised myself that one day, I too would meet him. Life, however, took its course. I studied medicine at Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, and became a doctor. I got married and moved first to Shimla and then to Delhi, working as a Medical Officer in both cities. Our elder daughter Priyanka was born in Shimla, and years later our son Dewang in Delhi. But still, my childhood dream of meeting Bhupen Da remained unfulfilled.

One day, after marriage, I casually asked my husband Manoj if he had ever seen Bhupen Da. He chuckled and replied, “Yes, many times. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet him too.” To me, Bhupen Da seemed like a distant deity—so close to my heart, yet beyond my reach.

Then, in 2005, the moment I had been waiting for arrived. My husband suddenly told me, “Ajanta, get ready quickly—we’re going to meet Bhupen Da at 6 PM in Hotel Ashok.” My heart raced with excitement. At the time, my husband was General Secretary of the Assam Association, Delhi. He was planning a fundraising event for the Srimanta Sankaradeva Bhawan, and Bhupen Da had agreed to perform at the Siri Fort Auditorium.

Through the efforts of the late Hiron Dutta (AIR) and the late Ema Gohain, wife of Bhupen Da’s close friend, the late Kanu Gohain (Ex-DGCA), my husband secured the appointment. That evening, I finally met Bhupen Da at Hotel Ashok. With trembling hands, I offered him a fulam gamusa and shook his hand. His towering personality left me spellbound. When he asked where I was from, I replied, “Sibsagar.” He smiled warmly, as if recalling fond memories of the place.

On October 16, 2005, the much-awaited function took place. The Siri Fort Auditorium was packed to the brim. For two hours, Bhupen Da held the audience captive with his soulful songs. Though a little tired, his companion Kalpana Lajmi was by his side throughout. That evening, we also got a precious family photograph with him. The next day, he autographed it. On my picture, he wrote, “Ajanta, Manoj k saba”—meaning, “Ajanta, take care of Manoj.”

That one line, scribbled in his handwriting, remains one of my most treasured blessings. My lifelong dream of meeting Bhupen Da was not only fulfilled but also became a memory etched forever in my heart.