Modi to attend birth centenary of Hazarika

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the state on Sept 8 to attend the birth centenary celebration of music maestro Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, which will begin on that day itself.

Meanwhile, governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya summoned a one-day special session of the assembly on Sept 9 to discuss the preservation of the legendary singer's creations and contributions.

Cabinet minister Ranoj Pegu shared this information at a press conference on Friday following the state cabinet meeting. Pegu said, "We will celebrate the centenary from Sept 8. A special session of the assembly will be held on Sept 9 to make the creations and contributions of Hazarika evergreen and preserve those forever. There is a proposal as well to rename the Mohanbari Airport in Dibrugarh, which will also be discussed in the session."

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on his ‘X' handle, wrote, "Dibrugarh's Mohanbari Airport will soon be known as Dr Bhupen Hazarika Airport. With this renaming, Assam's two capitals will have their airports named after the two Bharat Ratnas from the state — a befitting tribute to their contributions."

The CM last month said that events have been planned across India, including a biography release and commemorative coin, launch.

A 50-member committee, headed by the chief minister, will be formed to plan the celebrations. He had said opening and closing ceremonies will be held in Guwahati or New Delhi.

Sarma said last month that a biography on Hazarika's life has been commissioned and it will be gifted to 10 lakh people of the state, making it the highest printed edition of any book in the state. The book will be translated into all Indian languages and sent to libraries across the country.

Hazarika was born on Sept 8, 1926, to Nilakanta and Shantipriya Hazarika at Sadiya in upper Assam. He died on Nov 5, 2011, due to multi-organ failure.