Bhupen Hazarika

Bhupendra Kumar Hazarika (8 September 1926 – 5 November 2011), widely known as Bhupen Hazarika (, ), was an Indian singer, songwriter, writer, filmmaker and politician from Assam. He wrote songs mainly in the Assamese language, which are marked by humanity and universal brotherhood. His songs have been translated into many languages, most notably in Bengali and Hindi.

His songs, based on the themes of communal amity, universal justice and empathy, are especially popular among the people of Assam, 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, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), Padma Shri (1977) and Padma Bhushan (2001), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1992), the highest award for cinema in India and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2008), the highest award of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He was posthumously awarded both the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, in 2012, and the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2019. Hazarika also held the position of the Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi from December 1998 to December 2003.

Biography

Early life Bhupen Hazarika born on 8 September 1926 to Nilakanta and Shantipriya Hazarika in Sadiya, an interior town of Assam on the bank of river Brahmaputra. His father was originally from Nazira, a town located in Sivasagar district. The eldest of ten children, Bhupen Hazarika (as well as his siblings) was exposed to the musical influence of his mother, who exposed him to lullabies and traditional Music of Assam. His father moved to the Bharalumukh region of Guwahati in 1929, and in 1935 to Tezpur.

Education and career Hazarika studied at Sonaram High School at Guwahati, Dhubri Government High School His song Bistirno Parore which is based on the tune, imagery and theme of Robeson's Ol' Man River. This song is translated in various Indian languages, including Bengali and Hindi and sung by the artist himself, and is still popular. Being inspired from some other foreign ones, he also composed several other songs in Indian languages. He was exposed to the Spiritual, and the multi-lingual version of We are in the Same Boat Brother became a regular feature in his stage performance. At Columbia University, he met Priyamvada Patel, whom he married in 1950. Tez Hazarika, their only child, was born in 1952, and he returned to India in 1953.

His famous Assamese songs include: Bistirṇo Parore Moi Eṭi Jajabor Goṇga Mür Ma Bimurto Mür Nixaṭi Jen Manuhe Manuhor Babé Snehe Amar Xoto Śrawonor Gupute Gupute Kiman Khelim Buku Hom Hom Kore Xagor Xoṅgomot Shillongore Godhuli

IPTA years Hazarika began close association with the leftist Indian People's Theatre Association soon after returning from the US in 1953 In 1967, Hazarika got elected as a member of Assam Assembly from Naoboicha constituency.

Social Struggle

From early in his life, he was at the forefront of a social battle against the entrenched forces of casteism that sneered at a member of the Kaibarta community making it as a musician of note and kept him away from the upper-caste Brahmin woman he had loved. Eventually, when the spirited Hazarika did marry, it was to a Brahmin woman, his revenge of sorts against a caste-ridden society.

Later life He was introduced to Kalpana Lajmi in the early 1970s by his childhood friend and India's top tea planter Hemendra Prasad Barooah in Kolkata. Her first feature film Ek Pal with music score by Hazarika was produced by Barooah. Subsequently, Lajmi began assisting him professionally and personally till the end of his life. In the period after the release of Ek Pal (1986) until his death, Bhupen Hazarika mainly concentrated on Hindi films, most of which were directed by Kalpana Lajmi. Ek Pal (1986), Rudaali (1993) and Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence (2001) are major films of this period. Many of his earlier songs were re-written in Hindi and used as played-back songs in these films. These songs tried to cater to the Hindi film milieu and their social activist lyrics were browbeaten into the lowest common denominator. He served as an MLA (Independent) during 1967–72 in the Assam Legislative Assembly from Naoboicha Constituency. He contested as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from the Guwahati constituency, persuaded by Chandan Mitra via Kalpana Lajmi which he lost to the Indian National Congress candidate Kirip Chaliha.

Death Hazarika was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in Mumbai on 30 June 2011. He remained there for the rest of his life, and died of multi-organ failure on 5 November 2011. His body lay in state at Judges Field in Guwahati and cremated on 9 November 2011 near the Brahmaputra river in a plot of land donated by Gauhati University. His funeral was attended by an estimated half a million people.

Legacy and influences

As a singer, Hazarika was known for his baritone voice; as a lyricist, he was known for poetic compositions and parables which touched on themes ranging from romance to social and political commentary; and as a composer, for his use of folk music. In a poll conducted in Bangladesh, his song, Manush Manusher Jonno (Humans are for humanity) was chosen to be the second most favorite number after the National anthem of Bangladesh. Some of his most famous compositions were adaptations of American Black Spiritual that he had learned from Paul Robeson, whom he had befriended during his years in New York City in the early 1950s. His famous song "Bistirno Parore" is heavily influenced by Ol' Man River sung by Paul Robeson.

During his lifetime, a full-length documentary feature biopic film on his life titled Moi Eti Zazabor ('I am a Wanderer') jointly directed by Late Waesqurni Bora and Arnab Jan Deka was launched in 1986 at his Nizarapar residence in Guwahati city. Music for this biopic film has been scored by 5-time International Best Music Awards winner only Assamese musician, songwriter, composer and singer Jim Ankan Deka, who also worked as Chief Assistant Director of this film. During the next two decades, the joint directors Late Bora and Deka shot him live for the film during his various public performances all over India, as well as many private moments in his domestic and social life. Arnab Jan Deka also extensively interviewed him regarding his life and its creative aspects for the film, which had been recorded during their joint travel to different metropolises and remote corners of Assam and rest of India. The film has been under production since 1986 with film negative footage of more than 16 hours currently preserved in different film laboratories in Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkata) and Madras (Chennai). The film was targeted for public release during the lifetime of Dr Bhupen Hazarika in 2008. But the production was halted after sudden demise of one of the co-directors Waesqurni Bora in November 2008. Eventually, after the death of Dr Hazarika, the film's subject, the surviving co-director Arnab Jan Deka is currently carrying out necessary works to finish the film at the earliest and release for public consumption in several language versions including English, Assamese, Bengali and Hindi, with support from Late Waesqurni Bora's widowed wife Nazma Begum and Dr Hazarika's bereaved family members including his wife Priyam Hazarika and Tej Hazarika. Meanwhile, two books describing the unforgettable experiences of the making of this milestone biopic film had been authored by its co-director Arnab Jan Deka titled Anya Ek Zazabor and Mor Sinaki Bhupenda, first of which had been officially released in February 1993 by Late G P Sippy, then President of Film Federation of India and producer of world-record holder Hindi film Sholay at a public function organised by Dr Bhupen Hazarika himself.

Awards and honors National and state honors Best Feature Film in Assamese (Shakuntala, Directed by Bhupen Hazarika) in the 9th National Film Awards (1961) Best Feature Film in Assamese (Pratidhwani, Directed by Bhupen Hazarika) in the 12th National Film Awards Best Feature Film in Assamese (Lotighoti, Directed by Bhupen Hazarika) in the 14th National Film Awards National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Chameli Memsaab (music by Bhupen Hazarika) in the 23rd National Film Awards (1975) Padma Shri – the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India (1977) Gold medal from the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh for "outstanding contribution towards tribal welfare, and uplift of tribal culture through cinema and music." (1979) Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987) Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992) Padma Bhushan – the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India (2001) Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2008) Asom Ratna — the highest civilian award in the State of Assam, India (2009) Friends of Liberation War Honour, Government of Bangladesh (2011) Padma Vibhushan – the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India (2012, posthumous)

Other awards and recognition

All India Critic Association Award for best performing folk artist (1979) In 1979 and 1980 he won the Ritwik Ghatak Award as best music director for two theatre plays, Mohua Sundari, and Nagini Kanyar Kahini Bengal Journalist's Association Indira Gandhi Smriti Puraskar in (1987) First Indian to win Best Music for the film Rudaali at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival in Japan (1993) Honorary Degree from Tezpur University (2001) 10th Kalakar Award for Lifetime Achievement in the year 2002, Kolkata. In February 2009, the All Assam Students Union erected a life size statue of Hazarika on the banks of Digholi Pukhuri in Guwahati. A full-length docu-feature biopic film on his life titled Moi Eti Zazabor('I am a Wanderer') jointly directed by Late Waesqurni Bora and Arnab Jan Deka has been under production since 1986 In 2010, Assam Cricket Association renamed the Barshapara Cricket Stadium as Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Cricket Stadium. Muktijoddha Padak— Awarded as a "Friend of the Freedom Struggle" award by Bangladesh Government (posthumously, 2011) Asom Sahitya Sabha has honored him with the title "Biswa Ratna". Hazarika was honored with commemorative postage stamps by India Post in 2013 and 2016. The longest road bridge of India, Dhola-Sadiya bridge is built over the river Lohit, which is a tributary of the Brahmaputra. It links Dhola and Sadiya both are in Tinsukia district of Assam is named after him. On 8 September 2022, Google honored Hazarika with a Google Doodle to mark his 96th birth anniversary. The doodle, featuring Hazarika playing the harmonium, was created by Mumbai-based guest artist Rutuja Mali.

The 56th International Film Festival of India taking place from 20 to 28 November 2025, will celebrate centenary and pay tribute to Bhupen Hazarika by screening his classic films.

Filmography

Discography Playback songs Year Song Film Composer Lyricist Co-singer(s) Language Notes 1939 "Kaxote Kolosi Loi" Indramalati Jyoti Prasad Agarwala Jyoti Prasad Agarwala — Assamese Recorded at age 12; debut film song "Biswo Bijoyi Nowjüwan" Chorus Revolutionary youth song 1955 "Gãwore Jiyori Xopün Xundori" Piyoli Phukan Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika — Assamese — "Ohü Hü Mohü Hü" — — "Ujai Burai Dile" Gunada Das — "Piyoli Piyoli Kötonü Lukali" — — "Dukhorü Upori Dukh Mür Raizoi" Gunada Das — "Oxomir Mukhote Hãhi Nai Etiya" Shamshad Begum, Gunada Das — "Tejore Komolapoti" Traditional Madhavdev — Early Assamese Borgeet 1956 "Jünakore Rati Oxomire Mati" Era Bator Xur Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika — Assamese — "Xagor Xongomot Kotona Xãturilü̃" — — "Jonokpuror Janokiye Misikmasak Hãhe" Sandhya Mukherjee — "Ö Jiwon Dinga Bai Thaka Bandho He" Hemanta Mukherjee — "Röd Puwabor Karone Matibanü Kak" Hemanta Mukherjee and Lata Mangeshkar — 1961 "Olouguti Tolouguti Kün Köt Lotighoti Kosupator Lai" Shakuntala Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika Ila Basu Assamese Won National Film Award for Best Assamese Feature Film "Biraje Ki Xaje Prokritire Jiyori" — — "Pitri Griho Tyagi Ai Mür Poti Grihe Jay" — — 1964 "Lieng Makao Kün Paharor Xikhorote Bat Saisa" Protidhwoni Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika Talat Mahmood Assamese — "He He He Dhüle-Dogore" Bandana Hazarika — "Oy Oy Akax Xubo" Suman Kalyanpur — "Dehi Oi Luitor Xipare Majuli" Kabita Hazarika — 1966 "Tirap Ximanto Rupor Nai Onto" Loti Ghoti Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika — Assamese — "Küne Koy Moi Okolxoriya" — — "Xohosrojone Mük Prosno Kore" — — "Prosondo Dhumuhai Prosno Korile Mük" — — "Kün Köt Lotighoti Kinü Bhoilo Kalo" — — "Romzanore Rüza Göl Ülal Eidor Jün" — — 1969 "Pokkhyiraj Ghü̃ra" Sikmik Bijuli Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle Assamese "Milonor Ei Xubhokhyon Pokhila Uradi Ure Mon" Suman Kalyanpur — "Shomma Thakile Jorur Jorur Porüwana Je Ahiboi" Dost Habibur Rahman — 1975 "Oxom Dexor Bagisare" Chameli Memsaab Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika Usha Mangeshkar Assamese andBaganiya Won National Film Award for Best Music Direction "Hawa Nai Batash Nai" Baganiya "Jigija Gijao" — "O Bidexi Bondhu" — Assamese — "Jilmiliya Kümol Bali" Khüj Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika Usha Mangeshkar Assamese — 1976 "Neela Neela Aasmaan" Mera Dharam Meri Maa Bhupen Hazarika Gajanan Varma Ruma Guha Thakurta Hindi First feature film of Arunachal Pradesh "Arun Kiran Sheesh Bhushan Arunachal Hamara" Ila Bose and Ruma Guha Thakurta — 1977 "Megh Thom Thom Kore" Simana Periye Bhupen Hazarika Fazal Shahabuddin Bengali Bangladeshi film 1978 "Boshikoron Kajol Chokhe" Chameli Memsaheb Bhupen Hazarika Shibdas Banerjee Usha Mangeshkar Bengali Bengali adaptation 1981 "Insaan Insaan Ke Liye" Chamelee Memsaab Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika Kamal Ganguli Hindi Hindi adaptation 1986 "Mora Gora Ang Lai Le" Ek Pal Bhupen Hazarika Gulzar Lata Mangeshkar Hindi Also film producer/co-writer "Main To Sang Jaaun Banwas" — "Zara Dheere Zara Dheeme - I" Bhupinder Singh, Usha Mangeshkar and Haimanti Shukla — 1988 "Ognijugor Phiringoti Moi Notun Oxom Gorhim" Siraj Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika — Assamese — "Kõpi Uthe Kiyo Tajmohol" Lata Mangeshkar — "Aru Nobojabi Bin Batorüwa" Shiv Bhattacharya Usha Mangeshkar — "Allahr Bine Keu Nai Ar" Traditional Azan Faqir — Assamese Zikir 1993 "Dil Hoom Hoom Kare (Part 2)" Rudaali Bhupen Hazarika Gulzar — Hindi Male solo version; set to Raga Bhoopali "Samay O Dheere Chalo (Part 2)" — Male solo version; set to Raga Bhimpalasi "Maula O Maula" — Solo track 1997 "Babu Darogaji" Darmiyaan: In Between Bhupen Hazarika Javed Akhtar Sapna Awasthi Hindi — "Duniya Paraayi Log Yahaan Begaane" — — 2000 "Gaja Gamini" Gaja Gamini Bhupen Hazarika Maya Govind — Hindi Title track 2001 "Gum Sum Nisha Aayi" Daman Bhupen Hazarika Maya Govind — Hindi — "Hu Hu Paagal" Kavita Krishnamurthy —