Who is Bhupen Hazarika?

New Delhi, Jan 25: The Centre on Friday conferred former President Pranab Mukherjee with the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award. Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh and singer and musician Bhupen Hazarika have also been awarded posthumously. More than seven years after his death, former Indian playback singer Bhupen Hazarika is to be awarded the highest civilian award of the Indian Republic, the Bharat Ratna on Republic Day 2019.

Who is Bhupen Hazarika?
The late classical singer was born on September 8, 1926 and had passed away in 2011 on November 5. He was widely hailed as 'Sudhakantha' and his songs were mostly written and sung in the Assamese language on themes revolving around humanity, empathy, communal amity and universal brotherhood and justice. His works have been translated into different languages.

In 1975, he had been a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 1975. Other accolades received by the late singer include Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987, Padmashri in 1977, and Padmabhushan in 2001. He was also awarded India's highest award in cinema, the Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 1992, India's highest award in cinema and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2008.

In 2012, shortly after his death, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award. He also served as the Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama from December 1998 to December 2003.