Arunachal to celebrate Bhupen Hazarika centenary at Roing: Dy CM Chowna Mein

Our correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said the state will commemorate the birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika with a state-level programme at Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district, on September 26, as part of the nationwide celebrations of the legendary musician’s legacy.

Mein, who on Thursday attended the core committee meeting on the centenary celebrations in Guwahati chaired by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the commemorative event in Assam on September 13.

“The Chief Minister reviewed the programme in detail and emphasised the need for collective efforts to make the event truly memorable,” Mein said in a post on X.

“In this spirit, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has also taken steps to honour the legacy of Dr Bhupen Hazarika. We will be commemorating his birth centenary at Roing on 26th September 2025,” the deputy chief minister shared in his social media post

Widely known as the ‘Sudhakantha’ Hazarika was born on September 8, 1926, in Sadiya, Assam, and passed away on November 5, 2011, in Mumbai.

A singer, poet, composer, filmmaker and political thinker, Hazarika’s works carried strong messages of humanity, communal harmony and social justice, earning him national and international acclaim.

He was conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour, posthumously in 2019.

Hazarika shared a deep connection with Arunachal Pradesh, where he spent part of his early career and composed soulful songs inspired by the Idu Mishmi community and the natural beauty of the Dibang Valley.

His compositions in Arunachali dialects helped bring the culture of the state to national prominence. The state government said Roing, in Lower Dibang Valley, was chosen as the centenary venue in recognition of this enduring bond.

As part of the centenary celebrations, the union Finance ministry has issued a notification announcing the release of a special ?100 commemorative coin in Hazarika’s honour.

The coin, made of 99.9 percent pure silver, will be circular with a diameter of 44 millimetres and 200 serrations.

The obverse side of the coin will feature the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar with the legend “Satyameva Jayate” inscribed below, flanked by the word “Bharat” in Devanagari script on the left and “India” in English on the right, along with the rupee symbol and the denomination “100”.

Also Read: Arunachal Launches First Air Cargo Service from Donyi Polo Airport

Also Watch: