Bhupen Hazarika, the multifaceted genius, was a pioneer of Assam's film industry in the North-East, hailed as the uncrowned King of the North Eastern India's Culture World. The 86 year old Indian Maestro passed away owing to multi-organ failure at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in Mumbai, on Saturday, 5th November, 2011.
The death of the man with the Pahaadi Awaaz (voice of the mountains) who sang beautiful compositions like Dil Hoom Hoom Kare and O Ganga Behti Ho has lost India one of its greatest cultural icons.
A born Assamese in 1926, he sang his first song - Biswa Bijoy No Jowan - at the age of 12 in the second Assamese film, Agarwala's Indramalati (1939), through which he also began his acting career. Ranking among the leading film makers in India, he was the only one responsible for taking Assamese Cinema not only to all the corners of India, but also the World. He was as good an actor as he was a poet, music composer, singer, journalist, author and a film maker.
He belonged to a family of teachers and was himself academically talented. Apart from songs in Assamese, he has sung and written various songs in Bengali and Hindi. He also has more than 1000 lyrics and several books on short stories, essays, travelogues, poems and children's rhymes to his credit.
There is no doubt that he has won several awards and accolades throughout of his life. His awards and honors include Padma Bhushan in 2001, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1992, Asom Ratna and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2009. He also received the All Indian Critic Association Award for Best Performing Folk Artist in 1979. Hazarika was conferred upon as the first Indian Music Director for Best Music Internationally for the film Rudaali at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival at Japan in 1993 and a life size statue of Bhupen Hazarika was erected by the All Assam Students Union in 2009 on the banks of Dighaliphukuhuri lake in Guwahati.
The entire world, including Bollywood was seen mourning the death of this maestro.
Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan tweeted "Bhupen Hazarika passes away! A musician of many talents and what a voice … prayers and condolences!!”
Farhan Akhtar - "RIP Bhupen Hazarika. Had the privilege to have met him on numerous occasions and was always impressed by his modest and sensitive nature."
Akshay Kumar tweeted, "After Jagjit Singh, India has lost another musical wonder, RIP Bhupen Hazarika. The man who gave us 'Dil Hoom Hoom Kare' from Rudaali, truly our hearts recite this song with grief today."
FridayMoviez pays a tribute to Bhupen Hazarika!!