Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA), while endorsing the demand for erecting a statue of Bharat Ratna, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in the premises of Parliament, thanked AGP lawmaker Biren Baishya for adoring Bhupen Da (as he is affectionately called) in the Rajya Sabha.
“A legendary genius of our time, Bhupen Da possessed many facets of creativity with a true commitment to the nation. After Jagatguru Srimanta Sankardev in fifteen century, Bhupen Da perhaps the only spirited Assamese who had contributed for different fields to emerge as an identity to the people of Assam in the international arena,” said PPFA.
The forum of nationalist people, while portraying the patriot with an immortal voice who roamed around the world with his creative passions varied from music to literature to film-making to communal harmony etc, argues that a life-style statue of Bhupen Da should be installed in the premises of Assam Secretariat in Dispur.
“A multifaced personality Bhupen Da deserves no less than a Nobel award. Hence we appeal everyone in Assam (also India) to rise for the occasion and help to recognize the prodigious artiste of the century with his rational dues,” concluded the PPFA statement.
Bhupen Hazarika was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam, widely known as Sudhakantha. His songs, written and sung mainly in the Assamese language by himself, are marked by humanity and universal brotherhood and have been translated and sung in many languages, most notably in Bengali and Hindi. His songs, based on the themes of communal amity, universal justice, and empathy, have become popular among the people of Assam, besides West Bengal and Bangladesh. He is also acknowledged to have introduced the culture and folk music of Assam and Northeast India to Hindi cinema at the national level. He received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 1975.
