Bhupen Hazarika birth anniversary: Google honours music maestro with artistic Doodle on homepage

Bhupen Hazarika birth anniversary: Google is celebrating the 96th birth anniversary of renowned singer Bhupen Hazarika with a special Doodle on its homepage. An acclaimed Assamese-Indian singer, composer and filmmaker, Bhupen Hazarika created music for hundreds of films. He served as chairman and director of numerous boards and associations, including the government’s National Film Development Corporation.

Bhupen Hazarika Early Life

Hazarika was born on September 8, 1926 in Assam. As a child, Hazarika grew up surrounded by songs and folk tales about life along the mighty Brahmaputra river.

At a very early age, Hazarika’s musical talents attracted the attention of renowned Assamese lyricist, Jyotiprasad Agarwala, and filmmaker, Bishnu Prasad Rabha—both doyens of Assam’s rich cultural history.

Hazarika recorded his first song at the age of 10, which launched his music career. At the age of 12, Hazarika was writing and recording songs for two films: Indramalati: Kaxote Kolosi Loi, and Biswo Bijoyi Naujawan.

Hazarika created numerous compositions, having a penchant for telling people’s stories through songs—stories about happiness and grief, of unity and courage, romance and loneliness, and even strife and determination, over time.

Hazarika graduated with a master’s in political science from Banaras Hindu University in 1946, and went on to earn a Ph.D. in mass communications from Columbia University in 1952.

After completing his studies in America, he returned to India to continue working on songs and films that popularized Assamese culture.

In the course of a six-decade career, Hazarika won several prestigious prizes.

He won awards such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, for his outstanding contribution to music and culture.

He was also honored posthumously with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 2019.

He was also one of northeast India’s leading socio-cultural reformers, whose creations and compositions united people from all walks of life.