Assam Pays Tribute to Music Legend Dr Bhupen Hazarika

Guwahati: People of Assam on Tuesday paid tribute to the Music legend Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his second death anniversary across the state.

Thousands of people paid their homage to the Music maestro at the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Memorial, Jalukbari in Guwahati.

All Assam Students Union (AASU) had organised a day long programme at Dighalipukhuripar, Guwahati for the second death anniversary of Assamese Music legend.

Dr Bhupen Hazarika died on November 5 in the year 2011.

Meanwhile, the Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Assam state government had organized the second Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, which was held at Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati.

The Chief Guest Dr. Sanjay Mishra, Director of Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia, New Delhi had delivered the keynote lecture on “Status and Trends of Educational Media in India: Allusion to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, a pioneer in Educational Media Research.”

Dr. Mishra’s lecture was based on the subject of Dr. Hazarika’s doctoral degree, Prospects for Preparing India’s Basic Education to use Audio-Visual Techniques in Adult Education – earned at Teachers College, Columbia University in 1952.

Dr. Sanjay Mishra said music is universal. Language is not a barrier to appreciate music and therefore it is beyond literacy.

“Dr. Hazarika’s music is eternal and connects with the people and because of which is loved by so many people of this country,” Dr Mishra said.

He adds that Dr. Hazarika’s subject dealt on audio-visual techniques in adult education which is a real tribute to the genius.

Delivering the opening remarks of the programme, Prof. Srinath Baruah, VC, Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU), spoke about the inclusion of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s contribution to folk media in the curriculum of the University. He also talked on the upcoming Community Radio Stations of Information and Public Relations Department to be run by KKHSOU.

Minister of State for Information and Public Relations, Basanta Das, in his speech fondly remembered the contributions of Dr. Hazarika in binding the communities together through his incomparable music and art.

Hemanta Kumar Nath is a correspondent in Assam, India, who reports on local news in Assam, the north east Indian state.