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A singer from Assam, Bhupen Hazarika, fondly remembered as the ‘Bard of Brahmaputra’ has been conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, by President Ram Nath Kovind. He has been conferred the Bharat Ratna along with former President Pranab Mukherjee and social activist Nanaji Deshmukh.
Hazarika, also known as Sudhakantha (nightingale), was a poet, lyricist, music composer, author and a filmmaker. He passed away on 5 November 2011. Most popular in Assam, West Bengal and Bangladesh, Hazarika has been credited for introducing the folk music of Assam and Northeast India in Indian cinema.
Hazarika’s songs were mostly penned in Assamese and translated to Bengali and Hindi. He is well known for songs like ‘Dil Hoom Hoom Kare’ and ‘O Ganga Behti Kyu’. He was the music composer for films like ‘Rudali’ and ’Darmiyan’.
The announcement for Bharat Ratna was made on 25 January in a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
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