New Delhi: Google is celebrating Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s 96th birth anniversary with its famous doodle. Hazarika was a musician, singer, poet, filmmaker, and lyricist who had worked in hundreds of films in a career spanning six decades. Hazarika was born on September 8, 1926, in the small town of Sadiya in Assam’s Tinsukia district. He grew up listening to songs and folk tales, especially about the Brahmaputra river. He was a child prodigy and recorded his first song at the age of 10.
The doodle created by Mumbai-based guest artist Rutuja Mali features Hazarika playing the harmonium.
He was widely known as ‘Sudha Konthi’ (nectar-throated), his songs were usually written by him in the Assamese language. Some of his work have been translated into Hindi and Bengali languages.
The musician completed his Intermediate in Arts in 1942 from Cotton College and MA from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1946. He lived in New York for five years where he received his doctorate (PhD) in Mass Communication from Columbia University in 1952.
He composed some of the most famous Assamese songs including ‘Bistirno Parore’, ‘Moi Eti Jajabor’, ‘Ganga Mor Maa’, ‘Bimurto Mur Nixati Jen’, ‘Manuhe Manuhor Babey’ and ‘Buku Hom Hom Kore’. Other than being a musician and playback singer, he was an immensely talented filmmaker who created some of the most memorable national award-winning Assamese films. He directed award-winning Assamese films such as ‘Shakuntala Sur’ (1961) and ‘Pratidhwani’ (1964).
In Hindi cinema, he became the music director of outstanding films such as ‘Arop’, ‘Ek Pal’, and ‘Rudaali’.
He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award in 2019 (posthumously). Aside from this, he has won ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, and Asom Ratna.
Bhupen Hazarika also served as an MLA in the Assam assembly from 1967-72.
In 2011, he died of multiple organ failure in Mumbai, Maharashtra.