Assam Rejoices on Birthday of Sudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika

Maestro was a symbol of uniqueness, protest, deep passion and loyalty: CM

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Rejoicing along with the people of the state, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma today paid rich tributes to Sudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika on the occasion of inauguration of the Bard's birth centenary celebrations at his Samadhi Kshetra at Jalukbari, renamed today as Dr Bhupen Hazarika Samannay Tirtha. The event was also graced by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that he was happy to be able to pay his tributes to the Bard of the Brahmaputra on behalf of the people of the state on his birth anniversary. The yearlong celebrations of the birth centenary of Sudhakantha have given an opportunity to the people to remember a multi-faceted personality who could stir every heart through his immortal creations.

CM Dr Sarma said that Dr Bhupen Hazarika's entire life was a symbol of uniqueness, protest, deep passion, and loyalty. He said Dr Hazarika's songs were never served only as a means of entertainment; they themselves were movements. His songs truly carried the hopes of the oppressed, the cries of the displaced, and the dreams of the common people. He said that he felt honoured to offer tribute at the samadhikshetra of this great soul of Assam.

The CM also stated that today, on the birth anniversary of Sudhakantha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute through an article that appeared in most leading national and regional newspapers. Reading out the article, the CM expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for his heartfelt tribute to Dr Hazarika.

The Chief Minister said Sudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika belonged to the whole world, even though his Assamese spirit and thoughts always kept him rooted in Assam. He further said that the state government has organised a year-long celebration of events to mark his centenary.

He also stated that on September 13, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people of the state would once again pay tribute to Dr Bhupen Hazarika. During the event, the Prime Minister would release a special commemorative coin prepared by the Reserve Bank of India in honour of Dr Hazarika. On that day, the Prime Minister would also unveil a beautifully written book on Dr Hazarika, the translated version of which into all Indian languages would be sent to the libraries of every college and university across the country. The government would also distribute this special book on Dr Hazarika to 20 lakh families in Assam to mark the celebration of 'Year of Books', CM Dr Sarma added.

The state government would organize events in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi as a part of the centenary celebrations, the Chief Minister said. While the inauguration of the centenary celebrations would be graced by the Prime Minister, the concluding ceremony would see the presence of the President of India as the chief guest. He also mentioned that the construction of a museum dedicated to Bhupen Hazarika's dreams would be completed within this period at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. This museum would play a crucial role in preserving Hazarika's songs and creations. The Chief Minister, moreover, sought public suggestions on how best the centenary celebrations would be commemorated, keeping in view Dr Hazarika's thoughts, ideals, and philosophy and projecting them on the world stage.

Sudhakantha did not belong only to the government; he belonged to the people as a whole, Dr Sarma moreover said. Therefore, alongside the government, the Chief Minister urged the people of Assam to celebrate his centenary at different levels. He said that as per the recommendation of the Core Committee of the Centenary Celebrations, 'Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samadhi Kshetra' will henceforth be known as the 'Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samannay Tirtha'. He also urged everyone to dedicate at least one day during Bohag Bihu to the immortal creations of Sudhakantha across the state.

He emphasized that in difficult times the people of Assam must work fearlessly to uphold Assamese identity through Hazarika's ideals and inspirations. He urged the people of Assam to carry forward Hazarika's ideals to safeguard the cultural, economic, and political identity of the state.

Bhupen Hazarika's son Tej Hazarika, his brother and noted singer Samar Hazarika, Cultural Affairs Minister Bimal Borah, Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu, Public Health Engineering Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Also Read: Nagaon gears up for Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s birth centenary celebrations

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