A TRIBUTE TO DR.

BHUPEN HAZARIKA *
We are very glad that FASS have been able to display a portrait of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika at this
prestigious Nehru Center, the cultural wing of the Indian High Commission in London. We thank the
authorities for permitting us to do this which will be appreciated by millions of his fans. We also express
our gratitude to Dr.Jaimini Bhagawati, High Commissioner of India for unveiling the portrait. We also thank
Dr. Sayeedur Rahman Khan, High Commissioner of Bangladesh for being the Guest of Honor for the
event. A personal thank to Jayanta Barman, FASS (INDIA) VP in Guwahati for initiating the idea. My
special thanks go to Rini Kakoty, FASS Intl Director and NRA Coordinator in London for doing the hard
work of following up on the idea almost single handedly and making it happen for all of us in Assam and
especially for his Assamese, Bengali and other Indian fans all over the world.
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (19262011) is generally remembered by the general public as the
legendary singer, composer and film director from the northeastern state of Assam. In fact, he was a
lyricist, musician, singer, poet, writer, activist, peace-maker, film-maker and much more. As a singer, his
musical field included, besides Assam and the Northeast, West Bengal and Bangladesh also. His songs,
marked by humanity and universal brotherhood, gave voices to many regional and ethnic aspirations of
the common people of the region that won him the hearts of the millions of Assamese and Bengali fans all
over. Later he also composed songs and directed music in Hindi films which brought him to the lime light
of mainstream India.
For the Assamese people, however, he represented something more and something bigger. For
us, he was our unofficial cultural and musical ambassador to the world. For almost half a century or more,
through his music, he had popularized the Assamese and in fact the North East Indian musical melodies
to India, Bangladesh and beyond; and in the process he also carried with him the Assamese cultural and
musical identity and the very psyche and aspiration of the Assamese people. In the North East India, he
also did something more; in this volatile multi ethnic region torn by separatist and insurgency movements,
he had contributed greatly to maintain peace and unity in the community. Like the great Assamese
Vaishnavite saint, Sri Xongkordev, who united the Assamese community in the 16 th century through a
common universal religious theme based on universal love, Dr.Bhupen Hazarika, through his golden
voice and his humanity and universal appeal contributed greatly to keep the multi ethnic Assamese
community united through a common musical theme in our time.
While he was an Assamese by heart, he possessed a pure universal heart eager to do something
good for the humanity at large. Many of us had the opportunity of meeting him personally many times.
In 1991, Bhupenda visited us in Houston, Texas when we the Houston Assamese community organized a
Bhupen Hazarika Night in collaboration with Bangladesh Association of Houston. I remember, besides
music, we discussed many things; how to do something good for the Assamese literature through Asam
Sahitya Sabha, how to bring the rich North East Indian folk music to the world platform, how to do
something good for the environment for the North East and many more. In all these, we could always see
his pure, unbiased and universal heart full of compassion for all.
By any world standard, Dr.Bhupen Hazarika was a great man. Shakespeare said that there are
three kinds of great man in this world, Some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them and
Some achieve greatness on their own. Dr.Bhupen Hazarika was a great man of the third kind who had
achieved or rather earned his greatness on his own hard work. Many a times, the greatness of a great
man is revealed or realized only after his or her death. I think, in case of Dr.Bupen Hazarika, we all are
just starting to realize this, and it may take generations of Assamese to realize that such a great legend as
Dr.Bhupen Hazarika with such a golden voice, an universal heart and global mass appeal really was one
of us and lived among us in flesh and blood.
In conclusion, I appeal to all his fans over the world to realize this and try to keep his memory
alive by various creative. ways. Best Wishes to all.
* Written speech on the occasion. On Tuesday evening 26, June, 2012 - Dr. Jaimini Bhagwati, High
Commissioner of India, unveiled the picture of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika at Nehru Centre, the heritage cultural building,
Govt. of India at London. The dignitaries present were Dr. M. Sayeedur Rahman Khan, High Commissioner of
Bangladesh, his wife - Ms. Quamrun Rahman Khan and Lord Swraj Paul, prominent industrialist. This event has
been organized by Rini Kakati, Director, FASS, NRI Co-ordinator for UK.